Source: Team_Talk
Jefferies: Strike talk 'ridiculous'
The Killie manager confirmed there had been a meeting between chairman Michael Johnston and the squad last week in which the fallout of the collapsed Setanta television deal was discussed.
But he branded suggestions some players were planning to strike over the issue as "ridiculous".
Jefferies said: "The chairman had a meeting to explain Setanta and in that he was asked about the Gary Locke situation.
"The chairman has said he'd give it some thought.
"Making out that the players are taking strike action is absolutely ridiculous."
Locke, 34, retired at the end of the season and the former captain was in line to join the club's backroom staff.
But the loss of television revenue following the demise of Setanta and a significantly reduced contract with Sky and ESPN led to a U-turn.
Jefferies admitted the players were upset about Locke's departure and revealed Johnston had yet to decide whether to change his mind.
"He said he would listen to the players and give it some thought but he hasn't made a decision yet," Jefferies said.
Even if a return is not immediate, Jefferies would love to work with Locke again in the near future.
"Hopefully sometime, if things are better, we could get him back but it's our loss and somebody else's gain because he's tailor-made to go into that side of things.
"I'm sure if anybody was looking for somebody, he'd come highly recommended."
Jefferies also confirmed he had agreed a deal with former Celtic striker Mark Burchill.
The 28-year-old has been training with Killie and is available for nothing following his release from Rotherham.
Jefferies, who tried unsuccessfully to sign the ex-Hearts and Dunfermline player last summer, said: "We've agreed to keep him because we've got slight injury doubts about Kevin Kyle and Alan Russell for the start of the season.
"It's a bit of cover for us because we're short in that department."
Burchill is set to formalise an agreement to stay until the end of 2009, though there is a clause in his contract which allows him to leave if he fails to break into the first team.
Jefferies explained: "We'll take him until the end of the year and we'll see how we go. Mark's been training with us in pre-season and he looks very sharp.
"Mark won't want to sit about if he's not playing so the deal suits both parties."
