Calderwood coup a masterstroke

15 January 2010 10:16
It's been a turbulent week for Kilmarnock fans with reported bust-ups between the chairman and the now ex-manager while their club captain has been shouting his mouth off apparently to any journalist who will listen about goings on inside Rugby Park.[LNB]But despite all that, and the incredibly fierce criticism chairman Michael Johnston has come in for from supporters, the club have played a blinder bringing in Jimmy Calderwood as manager until the end of the season.[LNB]Calderwood has been out of work since leaving Aberdeen at the end of last season and he certainly would not have envisaged his next managerial role coming at a club battling the drop from the SPL.[LNB]But, having been appointed until the end of the season, it's a no-lose situation for him. Should he keep Killie up, he will be a hero and his reputation enhanced further. But if they go down, former boss Jim Jefferies, along with Johnston, will take most of the blame.[LNB]Don't be fooled by the Kilmarnock statement that claims Calderwood's remit is to get the club back into the top six of the SPL and challenging for the Scottish Cup.[LNB]Now until May are about one thing and one thing only - the club's survival.[LNB]Currently, they are only two points off the bottom of the table and relegation would be disastrous - it could even see them go under. Even Billy Brown, Killie assistant until last week, admitted that was a possibility in his Daily Record column this week.[LNB]The decline in recent years under Jefferies in recent years was clear. Having led the club to fourth once and fifth twice in his first five seasons in charge, Killie only just survived last term and were second bottom to Gretna in 2008.[LNB]Yes, he had financial constraints - Kris Boyd and Steven Naismith were sold to Rangers for around £2.5million combined and Jefferies saw little, if any of that cash.[LNB]But Killie were not the only club cutting their cloth, and if chairman Johnston is to be believed, they have the highest wage bill of the sides currently in the bottom six.[LNB]Perhaps Jefferies and Brown should have departed in May 2007 having led the club to fifth place and the League Cup final, although they were thrashed 5-1 at Hampden by Hibernian.[LNB]The only way was down from there, although it's always easy to say in hindsight.[LNB]Calderwood should give the club a spark after eight years of Jefferies and if his past record is anything to go by, Killie's future is in safe hands.[LNB]He improved on Dunfermline's league position in every season of his five in charge, culminating in a fourth-placed finish in 2004 before he made the move north to Pittodrie to Aberdeen.[LNB]He led the Dons to third in 2007 and fourth place three times. The only slight blot on his SPL copybook was a sixth-placed finish in 2006. He also took the Dons past the group stages of the UEFA Cup in 2007 and earned a famous home draw with Bayern Munich.[LNB]But he payed the price for poor domestic cup performances, with fans calling for his head for some time before his departure in the summer.[LNB]It will be interesting to see how Calderwood deals with Killie captain Kevin Kyle.[LNB]Kyle complained to the Daily Record about the lack of a club doctor at Rugby Park before telling the Sun that Johnston had asked his opinion on Jefferies' tactics in the wake of the recent 1-0 defeat to St Mirren.[LNB]Johnston denies this was the case and claims it was Kyle who initiated a conversation about tactics.[LNB]Whatever the truth, Kyle's actions are certainly not befitting of a club captain. Especially one who has scored once in almost three months. Perhaps he should be looking at his own performances rather than those of his superiors.[LNB]It seems Kyle has no intention of remaining at Rugby Park beyond the end of the season so he, like Calderwood, has four months to show potential employers exactly what he can do.[LNB]That should be enough to keep Killie in the SPL. Perhaps even enough for them to push for a top six place if Calderwood is able to strengthen.[LNB][LNB] Scottish Premier League. Click here to bet.  

Source: Team_Talk