McCulloch believes Killie lack ‘nastiness’
KILMARNOCK manager Lee McCulloch last night fired a withering blast at his Premiership bottom dogs and admitted he can understand why furious supporters are already calling for him to quit.
McCulloch locked his team in the dressing room for an hour after seeing them lose at home to Ross County and emerged afterwards to admit he feels his players lack ‘nastiness’ and branded their display ‘worrying’.
‘I felt as if I had to tell the truth to the boys and give my honest opinion, which is that I felt let down, especially with the first half,’ he said.
‘There has to be a realisation of where we are, as players, as staff. We’ve let the fans down.
‘I’m well aware of their frustration and they were probably kind not to be booing longer or be more hostile after that performance.
‘We need to get back to doing the ugly side of the game.
‘I can’t remember a tackle going in. We spoke all week about adding some aggression to our team, but we were nowhere near 50-50s and one or two were even jumping out of them.
‘It’s worrying and I’m disappointed. There has to be a nastiness in our team. We’re too nice.
‘We’re happy to walk about with a swagger with the toilet bag under the arm and look the part, but not be the part by doing the ugly and nasty parts. We’re not being ruthless enough.
‘The Motherwell game away was similar for half an hour. I’m upset, but they know that and I’m not saying anything I haven’t said to them in the dressing room.
‘There are some people who’ve been nasty earlier in their career and then turned out not to be so
nasty. I don’t know why that happens. It could be that they’re content to be in a comfort zone, but that first-half performance cannot be accepted and it won’t be.
‘There is too much at stake. There are too many jobs at stake for players to be going through the motions.
‘I can’t put my name to that first-half performance. That was embarrassing.’
Killie were booed off the field at half-time and fulltime, with McCulloch being singled out for abuse.
‘No wonder,’ he said. ‘With the way the team played, I can sympathise with it.
‘I am well aware they are hurting and I am hurting, but I will keep going. I want to turn this round. I want to get this win.
‘I don’t quit. I don’t give up. I’ll be there.
‘The game is ruthless. Everyone knows that. Football doesn’t feel sorry for anybody at any time of their life or career.’
Owen Coyle, meanwhile, was left to bask in the glory of a victory from his first game in the Ross County dugout. He also revealed the special sign that showed he was destined to end up at the Dingwall club as Jim McIntyre’s successor.
Having been made an offer by Staggies chairman Roy MacGregor, he looked out of the window of his Lancashire home one morning — and saw a deer in the garden for the first time ever.
‘There was a deer on my property,’ said Coyle. ‘That’s the best way I could put it.
‘I think I had decided I was coming, but I’ve been in that house since 2010.’
Coyle felt his side dominated, but is demanding more from them in the wake of a poor start to the season.
‘We played the extra man in midfield because I wanted us to pass and move the ball, which we did,’ said Coyle. ‘We dictated the play, if I am honest.
‘The young kid Davis Keillor-Dunn started. I love young, exciting wingers and he has a chance of being a very good player and he delivered a great ball for Craig Curran.
‘There is improvement required, though. They had lost six out of seven before this and have still to win at home.’