McCann backs Kilmarnock to 'catch fire' with victory

21 hours ago 3

Neil McCann insists one win will help Kilmarnock "catch fire" as the new manager looks to turn around the club's faltering season.

The 51-year-old inherits a side that has gone 14 games without a victory and begins his reign with a visit to Livingston, who are four points worse off at the bottom of the Scottish Premiership.

"I've been given a huge vote of confidence by a board to come and take the reins," said McCann, who was part of an interim coaching team at Rangers last season along with his assistant Billy Dodds.

"I fully believe in myself," he added, pointing to his other previous jobs at Dundee, Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Dunfermline Athletic.

"I'm not pumping my own tyres up here. It's going to be real hard work in terms of what we're going to try and achieve.

"It's all about players, completely about the players in terms of what they do on the pitch. We can affect that by information.

"But when it boils down to it, for this group I just feel it's getting that first win. If we get our first win, I think we'll catch fire."

Kilmarnock have struggled after the summer departures of Kyle Vassell, Danny Armstrong and Fraser Murray, but McCann says he did not seek any assurances over new signings.

"I can't force that upon Kilmarnock right now," he said.

"I've just got to take it as what we've got at our disposal right now, to show that we can coach and manage this group to the point where they start winning games again.

"Yes, we hope to get people in. The board have assured me that they'll work to do that. But there's no guarantees that that will happen."

McCann described the meeting with Livingston as a "huge game" but stressed it is no more vital than any other fixture between now and the end of the season.

"It's three points," he said. "I'm not looking at the table right now and thinking this is a must-win game.

"Everybody else, and our own fans, will say it's a must-win game. I understand the importance of it.

"But every three points, as Dundee have proved in the last three games, it can make such a difference no matter who you're playing.

"Whether it be teams round about you, whether it be teams at the top of the table, it's the same three points. It's the same level of performance you have to give to get those three points.

"So I'm looking at it as a fresh table right now."

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