Connolly: Johnston can cut it
Kilmarnock defender Mark Connolly insists former boss Allan Johnston is not "too nice" to make it in management.
The former Hearts and Rangers winger revealed he was quitting his Rugby Park post at the end of the season last Thursday in a shock announcement at his weekly press conference.
The Ayrshire club decided to removed him form his position immediately the next day before naming his assistant Gary Locke as his interim replacement.
Killie chairman Michael Johnston's decision to sell attacker Robbie Muirhead to Dundee United without informing his manager first was the final straw for the boss.
But even so, his decision to walk surprised many who viewed the 41-year-old as the quiet man of the Scottish game.
However, defender Connolly insists his old boss has a dark streak which he believes can help him make a success of his coaching career elsewhere.
The former Bolton man said: "I've not one bad word to say about Allan. He brought me to the club and showed a lot of faith in me. He's a really good guy and I also think he's a good manager.
"We were doing very well at the start of the season but we had a dip in form, with players not playing well, and it was difficult.
"He moves on now and I wish him the best of luck. Hopefully something good comes up for him in the near future.
"I've heard people say that he is perhaps too nice a guy to be a boss. But some managers are different. Some are really well spoken but can get angry when stuff doesn't go right.
"When stuff wasn't right, Allan addressed it and wasn't happy.
"On the other side of it, he is a nice man and some people may take that for granted that he is too nice - but I genuinely think he was a good manager. He was a nice man but he definitely had that other side that people don't see.
"Okay, he's not the type of guy running up and down the line going crazy, but that's just the way he is."
Locke is no shrinking violet and Connolly believes his fierce personality could be the spark Killie need to end a miserable run of form which has seen them win just twice in their last 15 games.
He said: "The new manager has not come in and changed too everything but he's tweaking things that maybe need changed and all the boys have taken to him so far.
"You can see he's been a manager before with Hearts and he's got leadership ability in him. He could definitely be a very good manager in my opinion.
"Maybe his intensity is just what we need. It's difficult as a player - you don't always look at it in the sense of 'We need someone to come in and be really intense?'
"But if he is shouting at us during games, telling us to do this and that, perhaps a few of us might react better to that and hopefully push on."
By a quirk of fate, Muirhead could make his United debut when the Terrors visit Rugby Park on Saturday.
Michael Ngoo (ankle) is out for the rest of the season and Lee Miller (knee) is still three to four weeks away from fitness, meaning Josh Magennis is Locke's only recognised striker.
Meanwhile, Dundee United manager Jackie McNamara knows his side will come up against a manager determined to prove himself when they take on Locke's Kilmarnock.
Locke lost his job as Hearts manager at the end of last season despite a spirited fight against relegation with a young, small squad which had been hit with a 15-point deduction.
And McNamara knows he will be eager to grab another chance after being given the job until the end of the season.
McNamara said: "Gary has taken the job until the end of the season and he will be looking to get it long-term.
"He was a bit unfortunate with what happened to him last year.
"He did very well there under the circumstances. He conducted himself well and handled everything well and I think the club are getting the benefit of their kids having played last season."
McNamara added: "It's never an easy game down at Kilmarnock.
"We know that having lost there earlier in the season but we'll focus on ourselves and hope to get the sort of result we're looking for."
Centre-back Jaroslaw Fojut is suspended for the clash.
Recent signing Paul Dixon could come in with Sean Dillon moving inside. John Souttar (ankle) and Mario Bilate (hamstring) are still sidelined.
Source: PA
