Burke believes Lafferty is lifting the dressing room For Kilmarnock
WITH 13 clubs to his name and an overworked passport never too far from his hand, Kyle Lafferty will probably have few complaints about the favourite adjective used to describe him since he arrived in Kilmarnock.
Nomadic has been the word of choice, with Ayrshire the latest destination in a career that has taken him to Sarpsborg (Norway), Palermo (Italy), and Sion (Switzerland) via
Gorgie.
There is a reason, however, so many have taken a chance on the Northern Irishman and Chris Burke, his Killie team-mate, knows the striker brought more than his talent when he landed at Rugby Park last month.
“He has made a difference,” said Burke, who played with Lafferty at Rangers more than a decade ago. “Obviously he has talent and is a great character and brings personality to the group. But when you have a character like that he lifts the group and you can see that in training.
“You can see it in the game as well. He lifts others and gives them energy.
“It was a short time I worked spells in Govan and with Kyle at Rangers, I think six months or so before I left. I did train with him and he does have bags of talent and ability.”
An encouraging maiden start in Killie’s 1-1 draw with Dundee United on Saturday saw Lafferty hit the bar and, most importantly, claim an assist when Zech Medley prodded home an equaliser after an Adrian Sporle deflected shot had given the visitors a halftime lead. It was Kilmarnock’s first point since January.
With crucial matches against Ross County and Motherwell to come in the relegation fight, Burke is sure Lafferty will only get better as he promised Tommy Wright’s team will give their all to avoid the drop.
“He’s back now and hopefully he is settled,” Burke, 37, said. “He looks like he is happy now and when you’re happy sometimes your performances are better on the football field.
“I can’t sit here and say we are definitely going to stay up because I can’t predict the future. What I can say is that there will be commitment there until the last minute the ball is kicked in the last game.”
Kilmarnock’s point on Saturday went some way to ending Dundee United’s hopes of finishing in the top six, with St Mirren now boasting a four- point lead with just two games to play.
Not that the impressive Benjamin Siegrist, who made his 100th appearance for the
Tangerines in the game, is prepared to give up just yet.
“A win would certainly have been better,” the Swiss said. “Nothing is impossible. We could pick up points or win next week, the sunshine is out and everyone is buzzing.
“We felt disappointed just because of the way the second half went. Early in the year we’d have said a point away from home here was good, but we’ve come so far that we’re disappointed not hanging on and not getting that second goal.
“Even though they equalised, we still had chances. It’s fine margins as always. But we are ambitious so we’re disappointed with the way the second half went.”