Killie FC goalkeepers give Jim Jefferies tough choice

Nov 6 2009 by Clair Fullarton, Kilmarnock Standard

WITH just over a quarter of the fixtures played in the current campaign, Killie are in ninth spot in the SPL – seven points worse off than at the same stage last season.

But manager Jim Jefferies prefers to look forward rather than back, commenting that his side is only one win away from St Mirren who fill sixth place in the division.

It’s been a tough old start to the season for the Rugby Park side, their efforts badly hampered by a dreadful number of injuries, many of them long- term, and a run of bad luck that saw them strike the woodwork in five successive league games.

But there were no excuses from the gaffer following his team’s 3-0 defeat by Celtic at Parkhead last Saturday, conceding that they were well beaten on the day.

He explained: “It was always going to be a very difficult task for us to go there and get a result, particularly as they played so well on the day.

“They came out of the traps very quickly and we rode our luck a bit in the opening 25 minutes.

“We can have no complaints, and they would have beaten any team in the division with that sort of performance.”

The consensus of opinion was, added Jefferies, that this was Celtic’s best display of the season.

“We just have to face the facts and admit that they have better players than us and when they play like they did, they are a bit of a handful,” he said.

In saying that, Killie did have their chances, with the normally reliable Kevin Kyle the main sinner on the day.

“Kevin had a good chance to pull a goal back when we were 2-0 down, and a goal then might have given us a bit of a lift,” continued the manager, “and another couple of opportunities fell to him after the break, but it just wasn't to be.”

Although Killie lost 3-0 for the second time this season, Jefferies was fulsome in his praise for goalkeeper Cameron Bell who came in for the unavailable Mark Brown.

Said the gaffer: “Cameron came in and showed what a terrific prospect he is. He had a great match against Celtic and never put a foot wrong.”

Now Jefferies has the difficult decision to make on who will wear the goalkeeper’s jersey against Dundee United on Saturday.

But it would appear that the more experienced Brown will get the nod, although that’s no reflection on the ability of Bell.

Explained the manager: “Mark wasn’t left out of the team against Celtic because of bad form, but because of a clause in his contract preventing him from playing against Celtic.

“He’s done extremely well for us since he came here, and is a bit more experienced than Cameron, but it’s a great problem for me to have.”

With no new injuries to report following the Celtic game, Jefferies will have the same pool of players to choose from for this weekend – barring any injuries on the training field.

Allan Russell has been training this week and is expected to have his heavy plaster replaced before the weekend, but whether the physio is prepared to allow him back into action is another question.

Said Jefferies: “He might not be allowed to play in case of doing further damage to his hand, and with the kind of bad luck Allan has been subject to that might be the right decision. But we’ll wait and see what’s what towards the end of the week.”

Dundee United, currently seven points and four places better off than Killie, played really well in last Sunday’s abandoned match against Rangers, even although they were a goal down when the game was stopped at half-time.

“United are a very good side,” said the Killie boss, “and were unfortunate to be behind to Rangers, having hit the woodwork three times.

“But we have a decent record against them and have caused them a few problems in the recent past.

“This is the first of three tough fixtures against United, Rangers and Hearts, but with two of these games at Rugby Park, we’ll be looking for the points that will help us climb the league.

“I like to look at the bigger picture and that is that we’re only three points away from a top six place.

“But to get there we need everyone pulling together, for one result can make all the difference.”

KILLIE midfielder Jamie Adams is off on loan to Partick Thistle until January.

He joins up again with Jags boss Ian McCall who had the 22-year-old on loan with Queen of the South when he was manager there.

Adams, who has had to overcome two cruciate ligament injuries, has yet to make a first team appearance for the Rugby Park club.

With no reserve league fixtures, manager Jim Jefferies sees this as an opportunity to get the player some much-needed match fitness.