Derek McInnes urges Kilmarnock players to achieve something special
Derek McInnes wants his Kilmarnock squad to enjoy the season finale as they battle to cement fourth place and a European spot.
The Killie boss took the Rugby Park outfit up from the cinch Championship in 2022 and their fight to stay in the top flight last season ended with a 10th-placed finish.
The current campaign has been much more positive and, with six games to go - five after the split - Killie are in fourth place, five points ahead of St Mirren.
Ahead of the Premiership game against St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park on Saturday, McInnes compared and contrasted the last two seasons.
"There wasn't a lot of enjoyment last season," he said.
"I think there was an enjoyment in how we finished the season in terms of getting the job done, but this season has been the opposite of that.
"I want us all to enjoy this part of the campaign, but nobody enjoys losing games so we have to keep the shoulder to the wheel, keep doing what we are doing and hopefully we can achieve something special.
"To get top six was good, to do it with two games to spare was brilliant, but where we are in the league now it is important we try to finish the job off.
"We just want a final push. We are asking the players to keep going, do what they are doing.
"We are sitting fourth at the minute, that would guarantee us that European spot. There is maybe a possibility with fifth, but we have got fourth at the minute and it is important we try to hold on to it.
"But we realise there is a challenge there from others and we have to take that on and realise there is still work to be done.
"But the players have been outstanding, they are really punching above their weight, really going above and beyond in level of performances. We want to finish the job and we have six games to do that."
McInnes believes this season's success has been underpinned by "a real togetherness and spirit" which keeps his squad at Rugby Park sometimes way beyond finishing time.
He said: "I am leaving here sometimes at 4.30/5 o'clock and they are still all in there.
"They have table tennis, card school and a darts board.
"Sometimes you are actually shooing them up the road, to get home.
"All the wives think I am the bad guy because they think we are doing double sessions and gym work.
"I am probably doing the players in here, but the gym work gets finished at 2.30/3 o'clock.
"They are always around each other. A lot of lads live locally, a lot of lads who have come up from down south.
"It is good to see that and it has to be worked at."
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