Source: FOOTYMAD
Not The Time To Relax
It is easy to slip into a relaxed frame of mind at this time of year but Killie do not want to undo what their recent hard work has brought them. Kilmarnock are hoping that a misplaced feeling of complacency will not derail their impressive run. Killie are now sitting in fourth place with their midweek win at Inverness and their only defeat in their last nine games was a 3-2 loss against a Rangers team which had a man advantage for most of the game. Assistant manager Kenny Shiels believes the squad are too grounded to take their recent success for granted as they prepare to face an improving St Mirren side on Monday. The memories of the poor showing last season - when they only avoided the drop on the last day of last season after securing a tense goalless draw against Falkirk - are still fresh and nobody wants to relive those days. Shiels said: "Complacency is something that comes from within the head when you feel as if you have arrived. I don't think we have got players who are high on ego. I think we can detract from the risk of falling into that zone because St Mirren are a very good team and we must treat them with the respect they deserve. I would be very surprised if any of our players fell into the complacency zone. People talk about our signings but what they forget is that every week we are starting with nine of last year's team. So it's basically last year's team that we've got and they have been through a lot of variables. They have been on the other side of it where they are coming out of Christmas bottom of the league or close to it. They don't want to go back to that." Saints also won at Inverness over the festive period and have edged away from the bottom with the help of several players who have recovered from lengthy injury lay-offs, including Craig Dargo, David Barron and Steven Thomson. Shiels said: "St Mirren are one of the best teams I've watched in recent games. I thought they were excellent against Inverness. Our report said they were unfortunate to lose against Hearts in midweek. They have good rotation in midfield, they have got (Paul) McGowan, Thomson and Dargo all supporting players to (Michael) Higdon. They have Barron back who works really hard and gets up the right side, they have (Jure) Travner, the Watford lad on the left. They are a very, very effective team and I think they are in a false position. They have the potential to push on." Editor Ger Harley (ger@scottishfitba net)Admin Team (admin@scottishfitba net)This is Scottish-Fitba.Net
