We couldn’t score in training but we’ll have the last blast
Tommy: Kyle’s arrival has XXXXXXX XXXXXXX given Killie ruthless streak
TOMMYWRIGHThasrevealed his shot-shy Kilmarnock stars could barely score in training during his first week in the job.
But with 15 goals in their last five games, the Rugby Park boss is hoping his troops are on course to blast themselves out of trouble.
Wright’s team face Dundee United tonight in a key clash in their battle to beat the drop.
Killie are four unbeaten with a new-found attacking edge helping them into the last-eight of the Scottish Cup and putting them in a position to dodge relegation with four games to go.
It’s a positive change from Wright and assistant Paul Stephenson’s opening days in the hotseat with the signing of Kyle Lafferty and a more positive approach paying off.
He said: “In our first week, we had a session on the Monday, the Tuesday. We played on the Wednesday and then trained Thursday and Friday. I remember saying to Paul that we hadn’t scored a goal in training!
“So there has been a shift in the players’ mindset, we want them to be more confident in the final third.
“When we arrived, we noticed the players here are very good in possession but a lot of that was in less dangerous areas of the park, or with slow build up.
“So we tried to increase the tempo of how we play. That hasn’t been through long balls though, it’s passing quickly, moving the ball quickly.
“Kyle has brought an extra quality to the table and that’s helped lift confidence.
“But the players out wide are getting assists too and they’re producing some real quality, so hopefully we’ve started a good run of results at the right time to get us out of trouble.
“We’ve still got a lot of hard work to do from now until the end of the season.”
Wright has a full squad to choose for tonight’s Rugby Park clash and admits he’s using past experiences of relegation fights and bad runs to aid his work.
The 57-year-old said: “I had two relegations as a player, one at Newcastle, one at Manchester City. I also had it in my earlier managerial career at Limavady and Distillery in Northern Ireland but, in both situations, I had more time.
“Limavady lost their first seven games, Distillery their first 10. We needed to win something like six of our last 11 – and we won eight.
“But I’ve also experienced bad runs and that could help me and the squad.”
And Killie stopper Ross Millen believes the experienced core of the squad are keeping things cool in the heat of the relegation scrap.
He said: “The last few weeks have been really enjoyable in terms of results and it is nice to see us having a wee bit of form.
“You can see in training that the boys are confident. Everyone has come together. When a new manager comes in you get a kick and a new belief – we’ve got a lift and you can see that with the results.
“Kyle’s given us a bigger goal threat. You can see he’s played at the top level as have Gary Dicker, Chris Burke and Kirk Broadfoot. These guys help keep everyone calm at this stage of the season.
“This is a massive game. We want another win to try and get us up the table.”