PRIZE FIGHTER
McKenzie tips Clarke to land top manager award
Rory McKenzie has backed Steve Clarke as the frontrunner to be named Manager of the year for his work in revitalising the rugby Park club.
Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw at Tynecastle — secured by a late Jamie MacDonald penalty save from Kyle Lafferty — means Kilmarnock have lost only one of their last 14 matches across all competitions.
They lie just two points behind fifth-placed Hearts with two games in hand and are poised for a Scottish Cup quarter-final against Aberdeen on Saturday afternoon.
Winger McKenzie claims that exceptional form has made Clarke’s qualities the primary talking point when he meets fans near his Ayrshire home.
And, although he admits his modest manager would likely prefer him to stay silent, the 24-year-old feels Clarke has an excellent chance of being recognised by his peers when the PFA Scotland awards are announced at the end of April.
‘I believe he deserves to be mentioned,’ said McKenzie. ‘I don’t want to get ahead of myself — I’ll probably get in trouble for this — but the job he is doing, I can’t think of who else there is. He has to be up there.
‘I stay quite local to Kilmarnock so I get people asking what the manager’s secret is every day. I was actually talking to Boydy (Kris Boyd) about it in the car the other day.
‘It’s difficult to put your finger on it, the training isn’t rocket science. It’s different to previous managers but I think it’s just the intensity, the aura he has around the place.
‘When he is there, everyone is looking up to him and trying to impress. It leads to a good session.
‘Look at the squad we have, there are really good players on the bench, anyone could get into that squad. The main thing is the way he conducts himself, he has everyone’s complete respect.
‘Every game we go into, we think we will win. When the manager came in, we were shipping goals left, right and centre because we just weren’t set up well enough.
‘He has come in, given us a solid foundation, we are tough to break down and that shows.’
The point earned in Gorgie could yet prove another pivotal moment in their campaign.
Defeat had been looming when Lafferty won a stoppage-time penalty, but MacDonald easily saved the Northern Ireland striker’s weak effort.
It leaves Kilmarnock with a genuine opportunity to overhaul Craig Levein’s side in the top-flight standings.
‘In the last ten minutes, I really thought we were going to nick it, just due to the way things have been going at the moment,’ McKenzie reflected. ‘Then when the penalty gets given, that is a bit of a blow, but the draw keeps that momentum going that we have created in the last couple of months. ‘Jamie has done brilliantly for us and the point is massive. It means if we win our game in hand, we go above Hearts and it keeps us ticking over. ‘Jamie has also saved one at Ibrox and when the big occasion is there he steps up. ‘He has done that the whole time he has been here and that’s why the fans love him. ‘He’s a cracking keeper. you can never be too confident when the other team gets a penalty, but with Jamie you are.’ This weekend brings another sizeable challenge.
While Celtic and rangers have both been beaten on Clarke’s watch, Aberdeen have recorded 3-1 wins in the last two meetings between the clubs.
Even so, McKenzie sees no reason for apprehension. only four years old when Kilmarnock last lifted the Scottish Cup, he knows earning a trip to Hampden would add another dimension of delight for fans revelling in recent results.
‘For the first 45 minutes against Aberdeen up there the last time we were very good,’ said McKenzie.
‘We just had to make a change which disrupted the team a little. We’ve not won there in a while but it really is a good run we are on and, for the first time since I’ve been at Kilmarnock, there is a real feelgood factor.
‘We are going into every game, no matter who — Celtic, rangers — and believe we can compete with everyone.
‘I don’t think our record against Aberdeen means anything, you don’t think about that going into the game.
‘It’s a tough place to go, we know that, but I don’t think there’s a better time to play them.’