O’HARA IS LOCKED IN

KILMARNOCK midfielder Mark O’Hara says interim boss Gary Locke is the best man to nurture and promote the talent coming through the club’s youth system after doing the same at Hearts. Seven of the players who came from behind three times to earn a draw at Inverness last weekend came through the ranks at Rugby Park. O’Hara is one of them and says it’s only since Locke replaced Allan Johnston this month that he has regained his place in the first and reverted to his preferred position. Believing Locke will keep faith with the youngsters at St Johnstone today, the 19year-old said: ‘With his track record he’s shown he’s not scared to throw in youngsters if they are doing well. Everyone sees that as a positive and I’ll be working my hardest to try to get in the team. ‘It’s disappointing I hadn’t featured more often this season but I’ve been working my hardest and think I’ve done quite well recently.’ The strapping O’Hara has also been deployed in the heart of Killie’s rearguard in previous seasons but will be in the engine room at McDiarmid Park today. He said: ‘The manager spoke to me and we agreed central midfield is my strongest position. I grew up playing there. I feel centre midfield is where I am going to play the rest of my days’