Source: Team_Talk
Killie silence over KK tactics claims
Johnston has refuted suggestions by Kyle that he had sought the club captain's opinion about Jefferies during a meeting between the pair this week.[LNB]Kyle, 28, said he rejected Johnston's attempts to draw him into a conversation about his manager as he felt to have done so would have been going behind Jefferies' back.[LNB]Jefferies is reportedly furious with his chairman - and there has even been talk of legal action - but the Killie boss refused to comment on the matter when contacted on Friday morning.[LNB]Attempts to contact Johnston throughout the day proved futile, while a number of the club's players were either refusing to comment or not answering their phones.[LNB]The row casts doubt over the future of Jefferies, who has been in charge at Rugby Park for almost eight years, as well as that of Kyle, whose signing last January arguably kept Killie in the Scottish Premier League.[LNB]Kyle said in the Scottish Sun: "The chairman called me and, more or less, asked if I'd mind discreetly talking about the manager and his tactics.[LNB]"I just said, 'No, wait a minute, I'm just a player. That's got nothing to do with me'.[LNB]"I felt awkward. You don't try and go behind people's backs - that's the worst thing you can do in football."[LNB]Johnston denied seeking a meeting with Kyle, saying in the newspaper: "It's totally incorrect.[LNB]"Kevin Kyle has misinformed you."[LNB]But Kyle added: "If you ask any footballer, you always respect your manager no matter what.[LNB]"I felt done in about it when the chairman asked me the question. He shouldn't have done it - it's inappropriate."[LNB]Cash-strapped Kilmarnock have slipped to second bottom of the SPL after winning just one of their last nine games, with this season arguably Jefferies' most difficult in charge.[LNB]The manager, who is under contract until May 2012, is battling to avoid relegation amid severe financial cutbacks, having lost coach Gary Locke, chief scout John Harvey, the club doctor and a video analysis editor.[LNB]Jefferies had a bid to retain former player Locke on his coaching team snubbed by Johnston in the summer.[LNB]That did not go down well with the players, who were also far from happy after Johnston imposed a new system of fines for yellow and red cards.[LNB]Kyle's candour could also cost him a new contract, with his current deal set to expire this summer.[LNB][LNB] Scottish Cup 2009/10 Win Outright: Kilmarnock 40/1
