Doolan: It’s time to stop the rot
PARTICK Thistle must pick themselves up quickly from their unacceptable performance against Inverness, according to striker Kris Doolan.
Describing himself as Partick Thistle through and through, there was nobody hurting more than Doolan as the Jags were swept aside on Saturday to chalk up their third loss in succession.
The defeat has made a few Thistle fans start to look over their shoulders, with the club now just six points clear of Kilmarnock in 11th place with three games to go.
With a visit to Rugby Park to come this Saturday, Doolan has urged his team-mates to give themselves a collective shake and make sure they put the lingering issue of their Premiership status to bed.
“Saturday was not good enough,” he said. “Bar the first 15 or 20 minutes it was not acceptable. We started brightly enough but for some reason we just stopped doing all the good things, and the boys did take it hard.
“It was a tough one to take but it is important to pick ourselves back up quickly. We cannot dwell on these sort of things because with only three games to go we have to get these points we need as quickly as possible.
“The manager told a few home truths on Saturday — and rightly so. It is about setting standards. This is a Premiership team and the standards were not adhered to on Saturday.
“Everybody was made aware of that, it was made clear to us. We have got to shake it off because nobody is going to feel sorry for us. We have got to go out there and put the points on the board ourselves.
“We went close with the top six and just missed out but I do not think we can say that is the reason we have played so badly in the last three games. We have got to take responsibility for that as a team. We cannot let it happen any more.
“We know that there has al- ways been something to play for in terms of league position and the money it brings in for the club, so we know exactly what is at stake.
“I do not think anyone relaxed. We have always known there was a lot to play for. The stakes have been raised higher and it is important that we go and put these points on the board and secure our safety.”
Memories of Thistle’s last visit to Ayrshire are providing succour to Doolan, when the Jags ran out 5-2 winners.
Despite being from the town, Doolan has no qualms about being the man to perhaps put the final nail in Killie’s Premiership coffin.
“We know exactly what to expect from Kilmarnock,” he said. “They are coming off the back of a great result for them at Hamilton but we know all about them and likewise they will know all about us and what we are capable of.
“We have to take positives from other games that we have played well in, like the win at Kilmarnock the last time we went there.
“I live in Kilmarnock but a lot of the Killie fans are good with me because I am a local boy. I will be keeping my head down though for a week or so.
“There is no decision in there for me. I am Partick Thistle through and through. I go out there to do my job and it does not matter who I am playing against — I always give 100 per cent. Likewise on Saturday, I will be out there giving it my all.”