Rangers loanee has not discussed future beyond this summer despite beneficial Billy Kirkwood meetings

Lewis Mayo feels he is getting the best of both worlds in his development in the way of analysis from Kilmarnock and parent club Rangers.

Lewis Mayo, left, is on loan at Kilmarnock from Rangers.

The on-loan defender has played 34 times this season under the guidance of Killie manager Derek McInnes and is also benefiting from tips from Rangers. “There’s constant dialogue with the loans manager, Billy Kirkwood,” the 23-year-old said. “I speak to him every week. “One way or another they are watching every game, so there is constant feedback both from inside Kilmarnock and from them about how I am doing and what is expected of me. It’s very technical. There are times when I will go and meet him and we will sit and watch and go over my clips, and question what you are doing, why you are doing it, how do you help yourself, how do you help the team, and how do you get better? It’s very beneficial. It’s something I have always done and always seen the importance of, analysing what you are doing and, of course, taking the experience of someone like him who has been in the game for so long.”

The former Scotland Under-21 international is contracted to Rangers until the summer of 2024 but discussions with Kirkwood do not cover his future beyond this season. “Any conversations about anything like that would take place in the summer,” Mayo said. “For me, all focus right now… I am a Kilmarnock player until June and all focus has to be ‘how do I help Kilmarnock every game?'”

The next challenge for Mayo is Saturday’s visit of Hearts as Killie look to move further away from the bottom two in the cinch Premiership The versatile defender’s previous loans with Partick Thistle and Dunfermline are helping him deal with their survival battle. “My past two loans in the Championship, both times clubs were aiming for play-off spots and looking at promotion,” he said. “It’s a different challenge this season but I take a lot from that, and the big pressure games at the end of the season, they are the ones you are going to get judged on and are going to count, and they are the games you want to win.”