Kilmarnock boss Derek McInnes is heaping praise on his backroom staff and insists “everyone has a role to play” in the club’s fantastic season so far.
Assistant Manager Paul Sheerin and first team coaches Alan Archibald and Craig Clark are all at the centre of the Killie manager’s plaudits, after the East Ayrshire side cemented top six status at the weekend.
McInnes made the decision to rejig the backroom staff last summer following Tony Docherty’s departure to Dundee United.
He said it is important for a manager to know when to make such changes, “to keep that freshness and keep ideas right. Recognising when to give it a wee jag here and there.”
Docherty’s former Assistant Manager role was filled by Paul Sheerin, who worked with McInnes at St Johnstone. Sheerin has climbed the ranks at Killie since joining the coaching staff in January 2022, after he was sacked as Falkirk manager.
McInnes commented: “Paul [Sheerin] went from first team coach to assistant manager - he’s always been a member of my staff. I made him reserve manager at St Johnstone when I was there, I brought him to Aberdeen and I’ve brought him here. He’s got a good manner about him, he’s been a manager before and he thinks like a manager.”
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Ex-Partick Thistle boss Alan Archibald also came in as First Team Coach as part of the backroom staff shake-up. McInnes said of his former Dundee United teammate: “Archie was a youth coach at Motherwell and I just thought he was better than that role - not to decry the role at Motherwell, because Motherwell were good enough to give him the opportunity. But I wanted him working with me at first-team level. When the opportunity arose, I moved quickly. He was my first phone call.”
The Killie manager also praised First Team Technical Coach Craig Clark, citing his “great work ethic” and eagerness to learn. “He’s been a brilliant member of staff in terms of analysing opponents, good on the training pitch.”
He added: “I feel we’re really fortunate at Kilmarnock to have a really strong staff. Any time a team has a season that’s better than a lot of people have expected, there are a lot of things go right with that, it’s boardroom level, your backroom staff, your coaching staff and your players most importantly. Everyone has a role to play.”
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