Greg Kiltie insists Kilmarnock must continue to believe in Neil McCann’s attacking philosophy, but admits they must quickly cut out the defensive mistakes that contributed to Sunday’s 5-1 defeat to Celtic at Rugby Park.
Killie have conceded nine goals across their opening two Scottish Premiership fixtures, prompting concern among supporters after a difficult start under new manager McCann.
But Kiltie defended the team’s desire to press high and play out from the back, arguing the result was decided more by individual and collective defensive failures than the open nature of their approach. “It was very frustrating,” he said.
“We started off poorly with the goal we gave away, but we came back into the game and if one of the chances goes in it might be different.
“Defensively, we need to be so much stronger and not give away the goals we are giving away at the moment.”
McCann’s side looked to take the game to Celtic, pressing the champions high up the pitch, but were repeatedly exposed by the quality of the visitors’ attacking players.
Kiltie accepts Kilmarnock’s ambition may have created opportunities for Celtic, but believes the goals themselves could have been avoided.“We pressed them high, but once they got in our area we still needed to defend so much better,” he added.
“Maybe they got chances from us being open, but I don’t think the goals necessarily came from that. We need to take it on the chin and do so much better individually and collectively defensively.”
The Ayrshire club now turn their attention to Friday night’s derby clash with Ayr United, with Kiltie describing the fixture as a major opportunity to respond. “We have obviously had a disappointing start in the league so it will be a nice break away from it,” he said.
“There is no bigger game for us than the Ayrshire derby, so we will look to make things right.”
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Kiltie stressed that the squad remains behind McCann’s methods, although he conceded there must be a sharper translation from the training ground to competitive matches. “Yeah, he obviously believes in it,” he said, when asked whether Killie should persevere with their open style.
“He sees how we do it in training. If he believes in it and we believe in it, then we’re hoping it all comes together. Doing it in training is one thing, doing it in a game is another. I do think we need to be so much better than what we’ve shown.
“We have given very cheap goals away, and that is hard to come back from in games. It kills the momentum for us. We need to keep believing in ourselves.
"It is only the second game of the season, and it would be silly to write it off.”
The 5-1 loss came against a Celtic forward line reportedly worth around £17 million, but Kiltie was unwilling to use the opposition’s quality as an excuse. “Listen, it was always going to be tough playing against the quality that Celtic have,” he said. “But looking at it ourselves, we do need to be better.
“It is a fine balance of looking at how we can get better and where we need to improve, while also staying positive, because there is no point in doom and gloom after two games.”
Kiltie admitted it was difficult to offer optimism immediately after such a heavy home defeat, but pointed to the number of new players still adapting to McCann’s demands. “Of course, it is hard after a 5-1 defeat to sit here and be too optimistic,” he said. “But what we are doing in training, what we are practising, is good.
“We have a lot of new players who are adjusting to how we are playing out from the back. The boys who have been here before are making mistakes as well. But it would be silly to write it off after the second game of the season. We know ourselves we need to be so much better.
"We don’t need to be told.”
Friday’s derby has taken on added significance after Killie’s troubled opening fortnight, and Kiltie made clear that everyone at Rugby Park understands the stakes. “Friday is massive, especially after how we have started,” he said.
“If you don’t know that, then you shouldn’t be at the club. Friday will take care of itself.”
