CLARKE VEXED DESPITE BRIGHT START TO REIGN
KILMARNOCK boss Steve Clarke claimed a second point from Glasgow in a week, then quipped that his players had underachieved during his first two matches at the helm.
Fresh from the stoppage-time equaliser that effectively brought an end to Pedro Caixinha’s time as Rangers manager, Clarke’s team scored a result against his old Chelsea coaching colleague Brendan Rodgers at Celtic Park.
The former West Brom boss (below) has made a clear difference to a group of players who remain off the foot of the Premiership table on goal difference, but insists he has not shaken things up during his opening days in charge.
‘That was probably a little bit less than I hoped for, to be honest,’ he said after yesterday’s 1-1 draw. ‘I thought we could win one of the games!
‘I’ve been involved in an embarrassing number of matches over the years but I’ve never gone into a game thinking I was going to lose.
‘If you don’t have that belief there’s no point in playing and that has been my message to the players over the last couple of games.
‘It has been good and the players have to take all the credit, not me. All I’ve done is introduce one or two simple principles, a bit of organisation.
‘You saw the effort of the players. I took little Greg Taylor off at the end — he couldn’t walk but he still didn’t want to come off. When you’ve got an honest bunch of players, which I think I’ve been lucky enough to inherit, you’ve always got a chance.’
Clarke expects his players to feed off their new found confidence as they seek to climb the league table.
‘These two results should help the confidence of the players but we won’t get too carried away as it’s only two points,’ he continued. ‘In this league, you have to win matches and we have another tough one on Tuesday, my first home game against a Hibs side who are doing very well under Neil Lennon.
‘We have enough talent in our team to pass the ball and our goal was a terrific move — Jordan (Jones) stayed alive after his first shot hit the post and it was a terrific one-two. We have shown quality and, at home, we have to be on the front foot a bit more.’