Dyer keen to add new signings
KILMARNOCK manager Alex Dyer will not complain about personnel issues for tonight’s game against Motherwell despite Kilmarnock returning six positive Covid- 19 cases this week.
The Rugby Park side confirmed yesterday that they had returned three positive results from Tuesday, a number that had doubled by yesterday evening after a further round of tests.
Dyer, however, has insisted that until the governing body stipulates clearly was the rules are in terms of numbers, then the received wisdom is that you go into the game if you can field a squad of 13 players.
“That would be up to the authorities. I don’t know the numbers, there was a whisper that as long as you have 13 available then you play,” he said. “If that’s the case we have 13 so we’d be okay and would play the game. I’m not 100 per cent sure which way to go that’s up to the authorities.”
Dyer has enough to get through the game but would ideally still like some extra bodies.
“I won’t be bringing anyone in for Friday but I’m not saying I won’t be bringing in fresh blood before the window shuts,” said the Rugby Park manager.
“It’s a big disruption to the plans. But you have to adapt. That’s why we do the job.
“We know if someone gets injured last minute then you
have to change. We’ve had three people who have tested positive so we have to adapt.
“We have a squad for that reason and there’s players itching to play. It’s their opportunity now.
“We have enough players in the building.
“I said a few weeks ago that the spike across the country meant more and more clubs will be affected. We are part of society, we are not untouchables. Players are human beings and go to supermarkets, pick their kids up from school, we are not immune to it so it’s more than likely that there will be more players testing positive.
“We have done the right things at this football club. We don’t share cars, when we stay away overnight for a game everyone has a single room. We’re not sharing to cut costs, clubs have been brilliant.”
Kilmarnock have not trained for the last 48 hours ahead of tonight’s game against Stephen Robinson’s side who are looking to close the gap on the Ayrshire side. It has been a positive few weeks for Dyer’s side who have won three games out of their last four.
“Before this situation it was going alright, we have been playing well,” said Dyer. “Sometimes the results haven’t gone our way, but in the last couple of games it’s paying off. We just want to keep it going and climb up the league, but we will do it one game at a time.”
Meanwhile, Keith Lasley is confident Allan Campbell will remain a Motherwell player next week and the Fir Park assistant manager retains hope the midfielder will stay for the longer term.
Aberdeen and Hibernian have been credited with interest in the 22- year- old after his impressive start to the season.
Dons boss Derek McInnes heaped praise on Campbell after Motherwell’s recent 3- 0 win at Pittodrie but, as Hibs head coach Jack Ross said, there will be an “awful lot of attention” in the player.
Motherwell would be due compensation if Campbell lets his contract run out at the end of the season and, having already played more than 130 first- team matches plus 21 Scotland Under- 21 games, it would take a major offer to persuade them to sell early.
Lasley said: “You’ve heard everybody at the club wax lyrical about Allan and rightly so, he’s a fantastic young player and it’s what we do at this football club, try and promote our own talent and when the time’s right, they maybe move on.
“But we are in talks with Allan, we’d love him to stay but if that time comes when he does move on, then so be it, hopefully it will be right for the player and the club.”