Hamill: Killie aim to confound critics

20 August 2010 15:22
Jamie Hamill believes a desire to prove their critics wrong can help steer Kilmarnock away from the relegation zone this season.[LNB] The midfielder knows the Rugby Park side have been tipped for the drop by pundits after narrowly holding onto their Scottish Premier League status on the final day last term.[LNB]A goalless draw against Falkirk was enough to keep them in the top-flight, while consigning the Bairns to the Scottish First Division.[LNB]This time around, Killie have a new manager in Mixu Paatelainen and a new-look side following the arrival of several players over the summer and Hamill insists no-one at Kilmarnock will be approaching this season with trepidation.[LNB]"People think whatever they want to think," he said. "But we, as a team, don't have that mindset that we are going to get relegated this season.[LNB]"It went to the last game of the season and the boys never want to experience that again.[LNB]"Even though it was a good atmosphere, it was one of those games you never want to play in.[LNB]"The press keep saying that we'll get relegated but we never think negatively as a team, we always look to progress.[LNB]"When you read bad press, it just spurs you on.[LNB]"It makes you want to take that extra step and maybe push on in the final five minutes of a game to get the winner instead of hanging on for a 0-0 draw."[LNB]Killie started with a defeat to Rangers last week but were able to take positives from their visit to Ibrox despite the 2-1 reverse.[LNB]For one, Hamill was able to continue his tradition of finding the back of the net on the opening day but, this time around, he is determined to keep the goals coming for the rest of the season.[LNB]"That's three seasons now where I've scored on the opening day of the season which is always good," he said.[LNB]"I didn't even think to be honest, I just grabbed the ball and put it on the penalty spot and managed to slot it home.[LNB]"It's always good to get off the mark and hopefully I can add a few more this season.[LNB]"As a player you always want to add to your game and scoring goals is a massive step as well so I'm looking to add a few more goals."[LNB]Hamill believes the rest of the team will feel encouraged by their showing against the Scottish champions as they prepare to face Motherwell on Sunday.[LNB]He said: "We have brought in four of five new faces and it takes a bit of getting used to playing with different players.[LNB]"But we are passing the ball well and everybody looks confident on the ball, which we saw at Ibrox on Saturday.[LNB]"We were unlucky to come away from there with a 2-1 defeat and maybe we could have pushed on and scored another goal.[LNB]"We have to have the mindset where we don't want to go to Ibrox and Parkhead and come away with a 2-1 defeat, we want to go there and get a result."

Source: Team_Talk