NO SPAIN NO GAIN
McInnes: We’re putting in the hard yards to be primed for big kick-off
DEREK McINNES wants Kilmarnock fine-tuned for Fraserburgh to ensure they don’t come unstuck in the Premier Sports Cup.
The Rugby Park squad are in Spain building up their understanding and fitness levels ahead of their big return to the Premiership. Beforehand, McInnes and his men face group-stage action in the season’s first knockout competition, starting with a trip to face the Highland League side on Saturday week. McInnes has seen topflight teams have issues in the past at that stage of the tournament and is keen to make sure Killie are ready for the competitive action. McInnes said: “We went to Largs as a bit of a boot camp to get the hard yards in. “We were keen to go to somewhere like Spain to get some games in and fine tune the preparations. “These trips are great for the new signings in terms of integrating and getting to know everyone. “We had looked at Ireland and Spain but the trip to Spain ticked all the boxes for us. “Doing it in a nice environment should make it a good week for us. It’s just trying to fine-tune. “Their approach has been spot on. We are really pleased with what they have given us and it gives us confidence we can put them into games without risk of injury. “It is now just about getting minutes and building that match fitness and integration. We still have that little limbo with the squad. Every time I try to bring a new signing in and improve the squad, there may be others who have to go.
“But I think the squad have been really hard working and honest since day one.
“They have set about the work really well and it’s now about trying to be as ready as we can be for Fraserburgh.
“We are still [almost] five weeks away from Dundee United in the first Premiership game and I need to keep reminding myself of that.
“Although we do have to make sure we are as ready as we can be for the League Cup because you have seen some Premiership teams come a wee bit unstuck in the groups.
“I am confident we’ve got the basis of a squad that will help us do the job this season but like everything else there are still a few more we’d like to bring in and we are working hard to do that.”
McInnes relishes the challenges ahead as he gets set to return to the top flight.
He added: “I think we all feel a responsibility to make the club as good as we can be.
“Just getting back at the first attempt isn’t always easy but it was important that we met that responsibility.
“We have inherited a fantastic group of boys and it’s great for us all to bounce into work and be buzzing to do our job.”
Goals from Lee Hodson and teenager Steven Warnock earned Killie a 2-2 draw with Lincoln Red Imps last night in the first game of their Spain tour.