Kettlewell on sending off, VAR decisions & Aberdeen test

[ASFN Admin]

Kilmarnock manager Stuart Kettlewell has been talking to the media before the trip to face Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership this weekend.

Here are the key points:

• On his red card during the 3-0 defeat at home to Rangers, Kettlewell says he's "annoyed with losing the head" but it shows just how much "winning games of football means".
• Kettlewell is "frustrated" after feeling Kilmarnock were on the wrong end of a number of decisions during the Rangers match, including Jack Butland avoiding a red card for a challenge on Bruce Anderson and Mohamed Diamonde's pull on David Watson that did not result in a penalty.
• The Rugby Park boss adds: "You're not asking for favouritism in decisions, you're just asking for what you believe is the right outcome, so not to vindicate myself or give myself a pass, but pure frustration."
• Kettlewell reveals he has not sought clarity from SFA head of referee operations Willie Collum following the Rangers game but says the club have sent their own video analysis of several incidents, with a meeting scheduled between managers and officials next week.
• He also concedes Killie will try to use a feeling of grievance to help galvanise the squad and get results on track - "I think you always try and use that mentality when there's a lot of noise, when there's a lot of criticism, when there's things you feel have went against you."
• Kilmarnock are now winless in nine Premiership games, lying 10th in the table and facing fan frustration, but Kettlewell insists he sees signs they can start winning - "I've seen them achieve really good standards in games, my job is to try and see if we can rekindle that."
• The Killie boss adds: "We had plenty of plaudits for the first chunk of the season. The second part of the season to date obviously hasn't been good enough."
• On Aberdeen having watched their Conference League defeat to Strasbourg, Kettlewell says the Dons did "pretty well against a really good side".
• Team news: David Watson is suspended and there is one undisclosed illness. Jack Thompson and Marley Watkins are being assessed after missing out lately.

You must be registered for see images

Continue reading...