Kris Boyd: I don't care who my friends are, I'm just honest

Kilmarnock's Kris Boyd celebrates his goal against Heart of MIdlothian. Picture: SNS/Craig Foy

The former Rangers hitman has provoked criticism for his views on Ian Cathro, Pedro Caixinha and, most recently, Scotland’s friendly with the Netherlands in Aberdeen.

In an interview with The Times, Boyd made it clear that he will not be changing his media approach, opting to criticise fellow pundits instead for sticking up for friends within football.

“I just give my straight, honest opinion, plus, I’m not really swayed by who my friends are,” he said.

“I see journalists who have got friends in football, and they stick up for them constantly. They gloss over things, in print or on air, depending on who their pals are. I totally disagree with that. Just give an opinion and give it honestly.

“I’ve seen people — paid pundits — who will stick up for the same people, even though they might have failed in job after job. When you put yourself out there, you’ve got to be honest and say what you think. There are pundits who get paid good money, who don’t really say anything. It all depends on who their pals are.”

Boyd latest outburst on BBC Sportsound saw him deem Graeme Shinnie as not good enough for Scotland, while questioning the selection of three Aberdeen players as well as Rangers’ Ryan Jack who he claimed had more red cards than good games for the Ibrox side.

It followed on from Boyd’s opinions that both Cathro and Caixinha were not cut out for their respective jobs at Heart of Midlothian and Rangers.

Boyd said: “In the case of Ian Cathro, people thought I was just attacking a young manager. But I had been on coaching courses, I had spoken to people, and I had seen how Cathro worked. I knew exactly what I was talking about.

“Predictably, the people who stuck up for Cathro were those who were either close to him, or close to people around him, or tight with Craig Levein.

“After I criticised the Cathro appointment, and got flak for it, not one person inside the football world criticised what I had said. They knew that I knew what I was talking about.”