East Kilbride are set to try out their new pitch in a pre-season friendly against Championship newcomers Queen's Park in 10 days' time - provided that the surface is ready.
It's a provisional booking at K-Park on Saturday, July 16, against the Championship play-off winners, who beat Airdrie in the final last season, but Rutkiewicz reckons it will be a very good test for side ahead of their Lowland League opener against Tranent on July 23.
Rutkiewicz says Spiders boss Owen Coyle has promised to send a strong side to give them a good work-out.
He said: "We're provisionally booked in for July 16, which is the Saturday, and it will be against Queen's Park.
"Owen Coyle is going to bring a team up, and it's going to be a good team. It's going to be the boys who haven't had maybe as much game-time in the League Cup section, and they've got quite a deep well of players.
"Obviously we're a bit tied about it, because if the park is delayed we can't help that, and Owen is totally aware of that, but that's what we're aiming for.
"It would be great to get some fans along, give them a wee look at what we're all about, against a decent Championship side, so it would be a really good test for us.
"It would be a really good pre-season. I think Forth, Celtic 'B' and Gartcairn are all progressive sides, then a St Johnstone XI and then a Queen's Park XI sets us up well for the Tranent game.
"Hopefully by then we're under no illusions about what has to be tightened and what has to be done to get the team right."
Rutkiewicz has been working hard this summer to assemble a squad that is capable of challenging for the Lowland League title, and says he will make sure they're working hard in training.
He said: "I think we've put together something quite special, but it's about results - it doesn't matter what you've got on paper.
"My eyes don't lie. I want boys' hands on knees when they're working hard. I want sweat off the brow, I want them to be sick when they're running - I want all the old-fashioned stuff, I buy into that, but it has been good."
Rutkiewicz says he's privileged to have a new surface to work on at K-Park, and says it eliminates excuses for if his side just don't turn up on the day.
"We've got a brand new park to go back to, and that is a luxury that no manager has had here for the last six, seven or eight years," he said.
"I feel hugely privileged with that, and I'm hoping it can be a tool for us and not against us, but again the proof will be in the pudding.
"Teams are going to rise their game on a brand new park and we've got to rise above it, we've got to be better than what comes.
"I'm under no illusions about the pressure and expectation that brings. What we're doing right now, and what the board has done, is taken away our excuses.
"Last season I heard a lot about the park, that it was a bit of a leveller for clubs coming here.
"Now we have a brand new park, so where do we turn to if we get beat at home? I've got no excuses apart from we were poor on the day, it's as simple as that.
"There's no hiding place. I'm not going to hide behind a park that's not up to standard, or elements, or travelling away from home.
"If we want to be successful in any competition, in any league, we've got to be able to go and deal with everything, and the team in front of you."
Follow Lanarkshire Live Sport on Twitter via @LanLiveSport, like us on Facebook or find us on Instagram for the latest sports news, pictures and video.
