Source: Team_Talk
Killie gaffer ready for 'big game'
The rock-bottom Bairns will leapfrog Killie if they repeat their only away win of the Scottish Premier League season, which came at Rugby Park in October.[LNB]Kilmarnock have not won an SPL game in 2009 and their last league win on their own turf came in November.[LNB]But Jefferies has challenged his players to aim for a six-point cushion over their opponents.[LNB]And he has told them their form in recent draws against top-six hopefuls Aberdeen, Hibernian and Motherwell is good enough to steer them away from trouble.[LNB]Jefferies said: "It's a big game; I wouldn't say it's the biggest because nothing will be decided on Saturday.[LNB]"What it will do is give us a massive psychological boost.[LNB]"Falkirk at best can get level with us, but if we get the win then the gap is six points and that's a massive advantage.[LNB]"It's a big game in that respect but I don't think even a win would put us out of it because the five clubs have all got to play each other after the split.[LNB]"But winning this one would give us a boost going into the next game, because you know then another win would ease pressure and put it on other teams."[LNB]Their inability to win so far this year has seen Kilmarnock, who topped the table after their fourth game of the season, dragged into a relegation battle that also includes St Mirren, Inverness and Hamilton.[LNB]Jefferies criticised his team following last weekend's 3-1 defeat at Hearts and they held a frank team meeting after watching a re-run of the game on Monday.[LNB]But the former Falkirk manager has been reasonably satisfied with their overall play throughout most of the season.[LNB]And he wants his players to remember the good performances as they approach the critical visit of the Bairns.[LNB]"You just keep stressing the positives we had in the last few weeks," the Killie boss said. "That's why we talked on Monday - how can we go out on Saturday and, for the first time, get something to hold on to?[LNB]"Hearts played really well but we contributed by not playing well.[LNB]"Before that, we had three draws against good sides - Motherwell, Hibs and Aberdeen - and maybe deserved a wee bit more.[LNB]"So we take the positives; if we're capable of doing that, we have got it in us. We need to do that now starting on Saturday."[LNB]Jefferies added: "I said to the players, 'You can't do anything about the statistics now. What you can do is look towards the next game and put it right'.[LNB]"We have had a chat this week and they know what's at stake."[LNB]Given the fact almost half the league are embroiled in the struggle to avoid the drop, Jefferies is keen not to be too critical of his side's season.[LNB]"I think this is the first time in a while that it's been tight as this for relegation," he said. "That's down to the fact there is so little between the squads.[LNB]"The clubs who have not managed to string two or three wins together are the ones in this tight situation. The only team with momentum is Inverness.[LNB]"If you look at St Mirren, I think they have a better squad than they have ever had in this league. Gus (MacPherson) has been unlucky.[LNB]"He has deservedly had two Manager of the Month awards and they only lost their first game at their new ground, against Rangers, on Wednesday night.[LNB]"But they are still second bottom - that proves how tight this league is.[LNB]"With every team playing each other, you are going to have tension, excitement, disappointment, elation, ups and downs, and you're going to have that between now and the end of the season."[LNB][LNB]
