KILMARNOCK star Rory McKenzie has revealed he's become so mesmerised by the methods of manager Steve Clarke he's now considering doing his coaching badges after initially vowing never to get involved.
McKenzie was instrumental as Kilmarnock eased to a one-sided victory on Saturday against St Johnstone - with a cricket score only prevented by a splendid display by Saints keeper Zander Clark, who single-handedly stood up to a Killie shooting procession.
An own goal from Saints striker Chris Kane and a penalty converted by Killie captain Kris Boyd for his first goal of the year was the least the hosts deserved in their 2-0 win. Jason Kerr's two yellow cards ensured the second half was in effect a Killie training exercise against Clark.
Killie now face a five-game shoot-out for a European spot with Aberdeen and maybe Hibernian. And on this evidence, they will relish every game in the run-in. There has been plenty of talk about Clarke's future in the summer, but McKenzie illustrated just what he means to his players.
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He explained: "The manager has done the same for everyone. I have more of an understanding of the game now, just by the way he looks at the match. I had no intention of ever being a manager or doing my badges or anything like that, but then you look at the way he sets out the team and the way he does his sessions, it's an absolute art. You just learn so much from him with the whole build-up to a match on a Saturday.
"Just by watching the way the manager sets his team up on a Saturday - and it's not always been the case before - it's quite unique.
"When Killie had been winning games before, then nothing changed. They would just stay the same the following week. Now, every week is different. When the opposition change, he will change the way we play. Fundamentally, we have got our own jobs and we stick to them, but he mixes it up all the time.
"I'd be lying if I said we hadn't talked about Europe. Where we are in the league I would be disappointed if we didn't get it now. It shows how far we have come. All we can do is try and win as many of the next five games as we can. And I think it's achievable.
"Hibs are right in it too after their win today. It's really tightening up so it could be a fun last five games. We have a target in mind that we want to reach that the manager has set.
"Where we finished last season was an unbelievable achievement for the club to get into the top six considering where we had been. To have a chance to beat that tally is really special."
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St Johnstone, whose manager Tommy Wright revealed after the game they will lose their captain Joe Shaughnessy in the summer after withdrawing their contract offer, were pitifully timid.
And Liam Craig, accepts his side must do better in the bottom six fixtures. He said: "It's just the way our season has gone. We hit the heights against Dundee where there was loads of energy and quality and good play. But here we just didn't start.
"We can't afford to go on these runs where we lose six on the bounce. It's not good enough, it's not consistent enough. Look at Kilmarnock - they don't go on these runs and have been consistent all season. That's why they are fighting for Europe and we are in the bottom six.
"The frustrating thing was that being in the mid-40s points [mark] after 33 games, more often that not you are there or thereabouts in the top six. We are probably not far off the points target we wanted at the start of the season, but it shows just how competitive the league is."
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