Jordan Jones: I'll think twice about staying if McCulloch exits

Kilmarnock's Jordan Jones could leave if Lee McCulloch. Pic: SNS/Ross MacDonald

The Killie caretaker boss was expected to sit down for talks with the board this week to thrash out a deal to become Lee Clark’s permanent replacement.

But almost a week on from securing the club’s Ladbrokes Premiership status, McCulloch has yet to meet with director Michael Johnston.

And winger Jones admits the uncertainty is making him rethink his own plans for next season.

The former Middlesbrough player, now 22, has been offered a fresh contract after an encouraging debut season in Scotland but says he may decide to move on if McCulloch is overlooked.

He said: “We’re in talks with the club over a new contract but obviously we’re waiting to see what happens with the management situation.

“Could that sway my decision? Yeah it could. I’m really progressing under Jig (McCulloch) and Peter Leven right now.

“They have both been really good with me and the team and if I keep progressing it’s only going to benefit me by staying here.

“If someone else were to come in that would probably make me think twice about staying on. There is no black and white right now so it probably would make me consider my decision again.

“That’s just because I’ve got so much faith in the manager we have here right now. It’s not just me, if you see the results we’ve had as a team under Jig and the way we’ve been performing as young players then there’s every reason to think a lot of us will go on to bigger and better things.”

Jones failed to make the grade with his boyhood heroes Boro but he believes he is a better all-round player after a year of first-team action at Killie.

And he credits McCulloch, who stepped up from assistant boss in the wake of Clark’s departure to Bury in February, for not only his own progress, but also the team’s.

Killie could snatch seventh place if they beat Ross County at home on Saturday and Jones said: “It’s been a good year both personally and as a team.

“We’ve all done well, especially since Jig’s been in charge. We’ve come together and the mentality has really changed. We’re all looking to get better and better.

“If we could get seventh place by beating Ross County this weekend it would cap off a good season.

“The main reason for me moving up was to play week in, week out and that’s what’s happened.

“The first part of the season has really helped me understand the defensive side of the game a lot better. Jig has said to me if I lose the ball it doesn’t matter as long as I do the defensive side.

“So that has given me total freedom on the ball which is great. I think you can see that coming through in my performances now.”