Lee McCulloch to continue in Kilmarnock caretaker role

Interim manager Lee McCulloch is focused on helping Kilmarnock move up the Premiership table. Picture: Rob Casey/SNSInterim manager Lee McCulloch is focused on helping Kilmarnock move up the Premiership table. Picture: Rob Casey/SNS
Interim manager Lee McCulloch is focused on helping Kilmarnock move up the Premiership table. Picture: Rob Casey/SNS
Lee McCulloch will remain as interim manager at Kilmarnock following a meeting with the Rugby Park board.

The 38-year-old assistant manager was asked to take charge for the 2-1 home defeat against Aberdeen in the Ladbrokes Premiership at the weekend after Lee Clark left for Bury.

Ahead of the trip to St Johnstone on Saturday, McCulloch revealed that he and the Killie board had agreed to keep the status quo in the meantime to concentrate on getting the eighth-place 
Ayrshire club up the table.

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He said: “We had a brief meeting and both parties are just happy to see how things progress and speak again next week or the week after.

“The meeting was on Tuesday morning, probably 30 minutes of discussions on lots of things and there are still millions to be talked about like how the youths are going to progress, to where we are going to be in three years’ time, so I don’t think it will be an overnight thing or even a week thing.

“I can’t give you a time frame. At this moment I am interim manager and that’s it.

“I just want to let the fans know that the most important thing to the board and to myself is the team and I can’t stress that enough.

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“So while everybody else will be talking about who will be the manager the most important thing is how the team are prepared and focused on a massive game on Saturday.”

McCulloch is a big fan of Saints boss Tommy Wright who has been linked with the manager’s job at Rangers.

The former Rangers player is confident the Northern Irishman could do a job at Ibrox.

He said: “I don’t see why not.

“I have spoken to him a few times. I love his company, his enthusiasm and I love the way he sets his teams up, set-plays for and against.

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“He has the stature and presence for it so I don’t see why not. It is not a slant on St Johnstone, but I am surprised there has not been clubs in England [interested] and obviously he is now being linked with one in Scotland.

“But I am surprised that there has not been more interest in him.”

McCulloch revealed a 
dressing room poll meant training has returned to mornings after sessions under Clark were geared towards kick-off times.

He said: “Training times have changed back.

“The boys are in for breakfast about half past nine – they can go to the gym before that obviously – and we start training at half past 10.

“That was a majority vote by the dressing room. We put it to the vote and it was all, but one or two wanted it back so fair enough.”