STEVEN SMITH, the Kilmarnock captain, has admitted it will be difficult to rid his club of the constant negativity which has overshadowed Rugby Park for the last few years.
And while he insisted the players are able to shut out the problems in the boardroom which have been made public and rumours Lee Clark, the manager, could be about to leave, he does understand why so many have tipped his side for relegation, which they just escaped last season in a play-off.
Smith has previously experienced such turmoil at Rangers and hopes those trying years can help him steer the squad through the next weeks and months.
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Chairman Michael Johnston’s controversial time is almost at an end, although he has survived far longer than was expected, and on the park if Kilmarnock lose at home to Motherwell on Saturday in the first Ladbrokes Scottish Premier League match, the black clouds over the Ayrshire club won’t be lifting any time soon.
“Since I have been here there has always been a negativity about the place,” said Smith. “You can sense it but personally, what’s going off the park, I don’t take any interest in it.
“I don’t know if having to deal with things like that at previous clubs has helped me but I just try to blank it out. We just don’t want to be where we ended up at the end of last season.
“It’s difficult to get rid of the negativity but in the changing room, the players and coaching staff have to stick together. The manager is doing everything he can to get rid of that negativity. He’s signed 11 new players and from our point of view we have to look forward to the season starting.”
Smith admitted that he understood why Kilmarnock are now favourites to finish twelfth and made it clear that nothing would be achieved by pretending the club was in better shape than it actually is.
Asked about Kilmarnock being tipped for relegation, Smith said: “It’s an opinion and I can see where people are getting that opinion from. It’s difficult to change people’s opinions.
“When I came to the club last year there was talk about top six this and top six that and that never helped us. I think we realised quickly that was not realistic.
“We have to start really well and that begins with Motherwell on Saturday. It’s always a worry if you don’t start well because it means you could be in trouble early on but there will be no excuses from us that we have 11 new players and they need time to settle in.
“We have to hit the ground running and if we don’t we will find ourselves in the situation we found ourselves last season.
“That wasn’t nice. No-one enjoyed it. The fans obviously enjoyed the last day because we won 4-0 (against Falkirk) but we don’t want to be anywhere near the play-off position or the bottom of the league.”
Smith claimed not have read too much into a story which appeared last week and suggested some inside the club feared Clark was about to walk.
“He has signed 11 new players and there is so much energy in the sessions he is putting on,” said Smith. “I found it strange as we haven't had any inkling of anything.
“It is just something else happening that you don't want going into the season. It is there and we have to look past it. We have to hope all the dramas have come now rather than during the season. It seems to be getting worse the older I get.”
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