Wary McKenzie wants to avert Christmas catastrophe

THE three points they were forced to concede to Motherwell in October hurt enough. Rory McKenzie’s greater fear, however, is a Christmas Covid catastrophe deciding the outcome of the entire season.

Kilmarnock’s, or anyone else’s.

As the 27-year-old midfielder prepared for their side to host Aberdeen today, he admits they are still walking on eggshells after the last Rugby Park outbreak cost the club a forfeited match, and a suspended £40,000 fine, punishments they are currently appealing.

As a five-game festive season looms, though, and with everyone else in the country apparently given governmental permission to let their guard and their hair down, McKenzie’s frustration is evident when it comes to the protocols and potential consequences footballers face for living like normal human beings.

Consequences he believes could cost a team their place in the top flight if taken to their natural conclusion.

Yet which he insists shouldn’t stop him or any other player doing what the rest of Scotland is allowed to do and see his family on Christmas Day.

‘It’s a pandemic, we felt we were doing everything right,’ he said, ‘and we were unlucky. It’s not just Kilmarnock that got this virus.

‘So we thought we were getting it right but we’ve had to change a lot more because if that’s the way the SPFL are going to work, and there’s another outbreak over Christmas, say, and we have to isolate for two weeks, what then? We have five games in 14 days. Do we lose five games? Get deducted 15 points?

‘We need to be careful, we’re well aware of it and we had a meeting with the doctor the other day.

‘But then what do you do? It’s Christmas, they’re relaxing the rules, supposedly allowing you to see one or two people you maybe haven’t seen — it just brings in a whole new kettle of fish.

‘But we can only do what we were doing, which was what we thought was right.’ Kilmarnock currently sit just four points off Motherwell in fifth spot. If both they and St Mirren win their appeals against what they claim are draconian punishments, they have the chance to earn their way into the top six in a hurry.

If they don’t, however, McKenzie (pictured) has grave concerns for the precedent set.

‘I feel passionate about this.’ he said. ‘What if it comes down to us being in the bottom two by a point, or being relegated by a point? You’re only human but that’s what it’s going to come back to.

‘I have to watch what I say before the appeal but I hope they see sense.

‘Right now, it’s motivation. There’s anger in there. You have to channel the mentality that it’s us against everyone else and hope you can build a spirit that kicks us on over the next few weeks.

‘But then, look at Christmas. That’s the thing — it’s been a terrible year for everyone. We want to see our family as much as anyone else, yet it’s different from other people’s jobs, if we’re unlucky enough to pick up the virus, it could cost the team big time.

‘And it would be through no fault of your own.’