O’Hara keen to avoid play

setting up another in the 3-2 win with McCann’s game plan working to a treat.

Now, the player is looking for more of the same against Killie.

He added: “When the new manager came in, everybody was trying to be as positive as they can and after a win we are all good to go this week.

“The manager has said we have to take each game as it comes but we need to target wins. The game plan worked to a tee on Saturday and we will have another plan this week and we will be looking to execute it again.”

McCann is in charge of the Dark Blues on an interim basis and there will be a boss in the home dug-out also in temporary charge, Lee McCulloch.

O’Hara admitted the former Rangers and Scotland striker seems to have lifted spirits at the Rugby Park club.

He said: “He has done very well and the fans are happy and the players I have spoken to are a lot happier. I think they are more solid now and are a point away from safety which is progression from last year.

“Since he has taken over he has got some good results, including last week and they will be looking to kick on again.

“There was uncertainty at the time with the chairman. I still think there are one or two disgruntled fans but they seem to have more stability and are stronger as a club.”

Killie play on an artificial surface but O’Hara does not believe that gives them an advantage over sides like his own who play on grass.

He said: “I found last year Killie struggled at home. Teams were used to bad grass pitches but it is a consistent surface and you know what you are getting. I don’t think it is an advantage. Teams are used to it and we have been training at the GA Arena to get used to it.”

Dundee’s Cammy Kerr returns from suspension for the game

Killie boss McCulloch hopes to have covered all the bases when he comes up against the ninth-placed visitors, bossed by a man he knows “pretty well”.

He said: “We were in the same Scotland squads as him, I played against Dunfermline when he was their assistant.

“I have done television with him, we have spoken about football, tactics, set-plays and we have analysed games together. So I am under no illusion as to how good a coach he is and how hard it is going to be for us.”

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