Kilmarnock

We asked for your views on Kilmarnock's 1-0 defeat against Falkirk.

Here's what some of you said:

Dan: Unfortunately a change of manager did nothing to change our fortunes! The players on the pack are the same and were so poor, lacking in confidence.

Graeme: Can't blame Stuart Kettlewell for that. Anyone that thinks Kris Doolan can turn this around needs their head looked at, need a new manager and fast.

Kenny: Same players - same old rubbish! Killie looked okay until Falkirk scored then the heads all went down! It's hard to back a team when they don't believe in themselves!

Eddie: The effort was there unfortunately the talent is not. We lost too many good players last season and our summer recruitment was way below the level we need. No matter which manager comes in I think bottom two is where we stay.

Anna: Now Doolan understands the size of the task he faces in getting our season back on track and get us winning again. Certain players aren't fit to wear the shirt and the goalkeeper situation is a joke as are some of our strikers, who are firing blanks. Come the January transfer window, the squad needs some major investment. Not going to jump on Doolan after one game, but I think he knows the size of the job he faces.

Kilmarnock slipped to a ninth defeat in a miserable run of 11 games without a win at home to Falkirk.

What did you make of the performance? Where do the club go from here?

Have your say.

Image source, SNS

Kilmarnock interim manager Kris Doolan: "The final touch, when you create chances you have to take them. We didn't create huge chances but we put more balls and bodies in the box.

"We had more possession. But the final pass and touch are the most important ones and we couldn't find that last one to get the goal.

"On the other side, Falkirk get one chance after a bit of indecision from us. In the first half we were so decisive, not letting anything drop or bounce.

"In the second half we did and we're reacting to things. It's the Premiership and you get punished."

Image source, SNS

Kilmarnock midfielder David Watson returns from suspension while interim boss Kris Doolan has a couple of unnamed doubts.

Max Stryjek (heart), Kyle Magennis (knee), Jamie Brandon (ankle/groin), Djenairo Daniels (knee) and Matty Kennedy (hip) remain out.

Falkirk boss John McGlynn has an unnamed player doubtful with illness. Coll Donaldson and Aidan Nesbitt played 70 minutes as overage players in an Under-19s game in midweek and are close to returning.

Keelan Adams (groin), Gary Oliver (hamstring), Ross MacIver (ankle), Lewis Neilson (ankle) and Tom Lang (foot) remain out.

Image source, SNS

Rory Loy is backing interim boss Kris Doolan to spark a resurgence at Kilmarnock.

Doolan, having replaced the sacked Stuart Kettlewell this week, aims to halt Killie's 10-game winless run on Saturday when Falkirk visit Rugby Park.

Speaking to the BBC'S Scottish Football Podcast, former Bairns and Dundee striker Loy said: "Falkirk have done a good job this season and they did a fantastic job over Kilmarnock in the last fixture at the Falkirk Stadium, 3-0 up in the first half.

"However, Kris will come in with new ideas. He now has a body of work at Partick Thistle and for large spades of times there he had success. It tailed off towards the end where he left the club.

"But I do think we'll see a resurgent Kilmarnock. I actually don't think they played particularly poorly the last couple of games under Kettlewell, they were slightly unfortunate not to get a draw up at Aberdeen last Sunday.

"I think it'll be a tight one but Falkirk, who are used to playing on astro anyway, play good football. It's a tough one to call."

Andy Burke
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Captain Brad Lyons says the Kilmarnock players feel a sense of guilt over the departure of manager Stuart Kettlewell.

Kettlewell, who took charge in the summer, was sacked after Sunday's 2-1 Premiership defeat to Aberdeen extended Killie's winless run to 10 matches.

Kris Doolan has been placed in temporary charge of the first team prior to this weekend's meeting with Falkirk.

"It's probably guilt, that's probably the biggest feeling," Lyons said.

"At the end of the day us players are the ones that go out on the pitch, we're the ones that are putting in performances and getting them results and unfortunately it always falls on the gaffer and his coaching staff.

"So we are guilty of it, we do feel sorry, especially a gaffer losing his job so close to Christmas and stuff. But we need to put that in the past, as bad as that sounds and go again this Saturday for a new gaffer."

Lyons said he was sorry to see Kettlewell go, and apologised to his outgoing manager for the run of form that cost him his job.

"I think he spoke to a few injured players when he was in, but I had a phone call with him on Monday night and it was a good phone call," he added.

"Me and the gaffer got on really, really well. He got on with the players really well and we just wanted to say sorry to him.

"And I reached out to him first because, as a captain of the club, I did feel really guilty because it's me and the players' fault for him getting the sack."

Lyons says Doolan's first task has been to lift the mood among the players as they look to find a way out of their poor run of form.

"I think he's just brought positivity into the building the last few days," Lyons said.

"I think when a new gaffer comes in, it's a fresh start, it's a clean slate for everyone. And I think you see that around the building, you see that in training.

"Everyone's trying to prove a wee point, trying to get into that start 11 on a Saturday. And I think that's what comes with a new gaffer, is that wee fresh start, clean slate, and it's a new start for everyone."

Image source, SNS

• Kilmarnock have only won one of their past six top-flight meetings with Falkirk (D3 L2), a 1-0 triumph in February 2010 under Jimmy Calderwood.

• This will be Falkirk's first top-flight away game at Kilmarnock since a goalless draw in May 2010; the Bairns are unbeaten in three such trips (W1 D2) since a 3-0 defeat in April 2009.

• Kilmarnock won none of their final 10 league games under Stuart Kettlewell (D2 L8). This will be Kris Doolan's first league game in interim charge; none of the past seven managers to take charge of Killie in the Scottish Premiership (including caretakers) won their first game with them in the competition (D3 L4), with Paul McDonald the last to do so in October 2017 (2-0 v Partick Thistle).

• Falkirk have failed to score in their past four league games, attempting 33 shots with an expected goals tally of 2.2 without success in this run. The Bairns have lost their latest two, last losing three in a row without scoring in the top flight in April 2009 – when the third defeat was away to Kilmarnock.

• Only Rangers (15) have had more different scorers (excluding own goals) in the Premiership this season than both Falkirk (11) and Kilmarnock (10).

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

John McGlynn has sympathised with sacked Stuart Kettlewell as the Falkirk boss bids to extend Kilmarnock's winless streak.

McGlynn's side travel to face Kilmarnock on Saturday, who parted company with Kettlewell on Monday after 10 games without victory.

"They lost a lot of players in the summer - a hell of a lot of good players. It's very difficult because, by all accounts, there were budget cuts, so you're not able to bring in the same quality," said McGlynn.

"A lot of the time players will punch above their weight, and it's very difficult to keep them because they can get more money elsewhere. I know it's not all about money, but money talks.

"Derek McInnes left and players who were out of contract moved on. Stuart's then got to come in and pick up the pieces and that can be really, really difficult. He's a great football guy so you have a lot of sympathy."

Seventh-place Falkirk are without a win or a goal in their past four matches, but McGlynn says they must "hang in there" to avoid sliding further down the table.

"We've stepped up levels," he said. "In the last two weeks we've played Rangers, Motherwell, Hearts and Hibs - four teams in the top six.

"We are top of our mini-league, and aim to stay there - which is going to be some feat because Dundee United won last night and put themselves right behind us.

"You'd expect St Mirren to kick on because they've won the cup and will get a boost from that. We've just got to hang in there.

"There's not much in it, so we've got to make sure we're picking up points and staying away from there. You don't want to get dragged into that."

Image source, SNS

Interim boss Kris Doolan is focused only on bringing short-term stability to Kilmarnock rather than his prospects of landing the job full-time.

The former Partick Thistle boss has stepped up from his head of youth development role to fill the void following Stuart Kettlewell's sacking.

Killie, second bottom of the Premiership with no wins in 10 games, host Falkirk on Saturday.

"I think a lot's gone against the club," said Doolan. "It happens at every club, injuries, suspensions, decisions. That's part and parcel of football, unfortunately, but it does lead to situations like this, I suppose, which is never nice.

"But for me, it's really about stabilising things. That's my role here just now, just to stabilise things, pick the players up, try to pick the club up, pick up the mood, because when good people move on, there is a bit of a downer so it's about picking everybody up.

"We have to try and approach that game with that mindset albeit, it's not the nicest of circumstances because good people have moved on.

"I won't look past Falkirk and I won't allow anybody else to look past Falkirk. I've been in this situation before. I don't think in football you can allow your focus to get beyond one game.

"I think when you start thinking or looking beyond that, you lose your focus and you lose that attention to the detail that you need.

"It's about one game. I was just asked to steady things. The club will do a recruitment for a new manager as they should do, and for me, it's just picking up the pieces."

Andy Burke
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Kris Doolan has been speaking to the media for the first time since taking the interim reins at Kilmarnock following the sacking of Stuart Kettlewell.

Here are the key points from his news conference:

• Doolan was sad to see "good people" Kettlewell and his assistant Stevie Frail dismissed after a run of 10 games without a victory: "It's never nice in football. I've been through it myself, we've all been through it."

• He adds: "I wish them the best because it's a tough space to be in, but they're such good people, they'll move on, they'll find a new club to go to."

• He says the team have not enjoyed much luck recently and they need to find a way to change that: "I think a lot's gone against the club. It happens at every club, injuries, suspensions, decisions. That's part and parcel of football, unfortunately, but it does lead to situations like this."

• Doolan's role is now to "stabilise" things and try to lift the players and the mood.

• Doolan refused to confirm if he is interested on becoming Kilmarnock manager on a full-time basis, saying his focus is purely on the next game: "I won't look past Falkirk and I won't allow anybody else to look past Falkirk. The club will do a recruitment for a new manager, as they should do."

• The interim boss says it's important Killie end their winless run "as quickly as possible" to ease the pressure.

• Doolan called on the Killie support to get behind the team as they look to navigate away from the relegation places: "I've been at games and watched games here. I live in the town, so I know what the place is all about and I know how passionate the fans are. It's about us channelling that passion on to the pitch and that's what the message to the players has been."

Former Kilmarnock striker Steven Naismith is in the running for the manager's job at Rugby Park after Stuart Kettlewell was sacked on Monday. (Football Insider), external

Aberdeen first-team coach Peter Leven is the bookmakers' favourite to be Kilmarnock's new manager, ahead of Livingston's David Martindale and interim boss Kris Doolan. (The Scotsman), external

Read Thursday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter in Prague

Jimmy Thelin says there has been "no approach" from Kilmarnock for Aberdeen assistant Peter Leven despite reports linking him to the vacant manager's job.

Stuart Kettlewell was sacked on Monday following Killie's 10-match winless run, including eight defeats, which leaves the side sitting second bottom of the Scottish Premiership.

Reports in the last couple of days have suggested Leven is a contender to replace Kettlewell, but Thelin said "no one has approached" Aberdeen.

"First of all, no one has approached us about this situation," Thelin said at his pre-match press conference before Aberdeen's final Conference League game against Sprta Prague on Thursday.

"I have also talked to Peter and he didn't know anything about it.

"Right now his focus is here and we are focused to have him here, too.

"I think when you are working hard in this business and you do a good job there can always be interest in you, but we haven't talked about anything else other than Aberdeen right now.

"Everybody owns their own decisions, it is not my job to talk about what he should do with his life, but right now he is working for Aberdeen and he is focused here."

Image source, Getty Images

Kilmarnock have confirmed the signing of left-back Michael Schjonning-Larsen from Estonian club Levadia Tallinn.

The 24-year-old Estonia international, who is eligible to play from 1 January after the expiry of his contract, has signed a deal until May 2027 with the Scottish Premiership club.

Schjonning-Larsen, who joined Levadia from Flora two years ago, has 17 caps for his country.

He was a key player this season as they finished second in the Meistriliiga, three points behind his former club.

Kilmarnock said of the Denmark-born defender on their website: "Michael is known for his pace, versatility and ability to contribute at both ends of the pitch."

He joins a club sitting second bottom of the Scottish top flight and without a manager after this week's sacking of Stuart Kettlewell.

We asked for your views on Stuart Kettlewell's sacking by Kilmarnock after a 10-match winless run.

Here's what some of you said:

Alan: Should never have been appointed in the first place. Poor manager, who had no credentials to be a Premiership manager. This time have a look further than the sacked and failed Scottish dross.

Adam: It's sad to see people lose their jobs, but I wish them all the very best in any new venture. Now who do you think can get us out of this mess with the same squad of players? Maybe an ex-Killie man! Steven Naismith or even Gary Holt, someone with a bit of Killie passion.

Frank: No surprise, it should happened a few weeks ago. Nice guy but not a football manager. His previous appointments show us that. Onwards and upwards, let's get a new manager with passion appointed. It will be required to get the fans back through the turnstiles.

Dirk: For those fans who wanted rid of Derek McInnes, I hope you're proud of yourselves. From European nights and league stability to a shambles in six months. The board must take responsibility for hiring a twice-failed manager who's now completed a hat-trick. Time to bring back Naisy.

Kenny: It had to happen. I don't think Kettlewell had any idea how to turn things around. I understand that we have injuries, however that's only an excuse. We have not signed the calibre of players required to fill the void of the players that left in the summer. Our defence is woeful.

John: Kettlewell was a surprising choice to start with. We got behind him and gave him a chance because the board brought him in, but nobody could really understand the decision. Usually the board seem to get it right with who they want, so we've got to keep trust in them and hope they get the right person and fit next. Plenty of decent managers out there, here's hoping we can tempt one of them to wake the sleeping giant gnome that is Killie.

James: I'm sorry to see Kettlewell go but the recent results and performances have just not been good enough. His signings have been questionable as have his tactics. It was inevitable but better now than later. I do hope the club appoints an experienced manager but with the exceptions of Steve Clarke and McInnes their previous choices haven't been great.

Image source, SNS

Stuart Kettlewell had shown few signs of being able to halt Kilmarnock's slump and his sacking was no surprise, says former Rugby Park striker Cillian Sheridan.

Kettlewell was axed on Monday after 23 games in charge, with the final straw the 2-1 loss at Pittodrie that extended second-bottom Killie's winless run to 10 games, including eight defeats.

"No, I don't think was a surprise," Sheridan told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"It was a game where it was probably against him.

"I've got a feeling the board probably had their mind made up beforehand that they were just kind of waiting for that result to happen for them to pull the trigger.

"It didn't look like things were going to turn.

"Any time I watched them it didn't look like anything had changed. Kilmarnock went under the radar a bit because Livingston have had a poor start and there's a lot of noise at Dundee with the fans over Steven Pressley.

"Their position in the table, they're actually doing pretty bad. Ultimately he's ended up paying for it now, so I don't think there was a massive shock.

"Possibly the only surprise is they've acted very quickly and swiftly, they haven't waited for things to get worse."

Sandy Armour
Fan writer

Killie's defeat against Aberdeen was the final straw for the board, who promptly bagged Stuart Kettlewell.

He wasn't the choice of the fans in the first place and given our precarious league position we need to ensure we get the right man to steer us clear of trouble.

I could moan again about ridiculous VAR decisions again but it's been a different excuse every week and Kettlewell can have no complaints - two points from a possible 30 has sent us plummeting down the table.

For the time being Kris Doolan is in interim charge, a well-liked local guy who did a decent job at Partick Thistle.

His first task is to lift morale, get us properly organised and give Falkirk a pre-Christmas stuffing.

The Bairns have done well in their first season back but they have dipped in recent weeks and hopefully a rejuvenated Killie will take advantage.

Sandy Armour is editor of The Killie Hippo fanzine

Image source, SNS

Aberdeen coach Peter Leven is under consideration for the vacant Kilmarnock manager's job following Stuart Kettlewell's dismissal. (Daily Record), external

Stuart Kettlewell has been sacked by Kilmarnock with the club 11th in the Premiership and without a win in 10 matches.

What do you make of the decision and who would you like to see appointed as his replacement?

Have your say.

Image source, SNS

Stuart Kettlewell has been dismissed as Kilmarnock manager after just two wins in the league all season and going without one in their past 10 outings.

Here is his Premiership record in full.

We asked for your views on Kilmarnock's 2-1 Premiership defeat by Aberdeen, which makes it 10 games without a win.

Here's what some of you said:

Iain: Unfortunately, it appears that the manager cannot get the results Kilmarnock now need to avoid a relegation battle. Therefore, while there is still time for a new manager to make a difference the Killie board needs to act.

Dan: Yet again bad decisions by all officials cost Killie the game. These decisions are costing teams and managers are going to lose jobs because of them!

Gazza: We showed in the first half that the players have the capacity to play some very decent football, an expected lack of confidence and two tier refereeing meant we only went in one up. The second half showed how much damage our manager can cause when tinkering, it was obvious Graeme Shinnie would enter and Aberdeen would come at us. Why oh why did we sit back, Stuart Kettlewell? Care to enlighten us? Oh well Killie board, you have a massive decision to make. Don't get it wrong again.

John: Rubbish. Marcus Dackers is way off the pace so is George Stanger and Robbie Deas, in fact most of the team is. Fifteen minutes to go you knew defeat was coming.

Peter: Started well, got ahead and tried to hold on despite the fact that we never keep clean sheets. Then our manager complains we played too deep in the second half, isn't he in charge? All that said a ludicrous decision for their penalty!

Frank: I have been a Kilmarnock fan for over 65 years and never felt so distant from the club. It is time Kettlewell was no longer at Rugby Park. He is dragging the club down, no excuses it's his group of players, he decides the tactics and picks the team. If he has one ounce of dignity he would resign.