MX23RW : Saturday, May 22 09:04:43| >> :60:231:231:
May 20, 2021 at 8.15pm UK at Kilmac Stadium at Dens Park
DundeeDundee
2-1
KilmarnockKilmarnock
McGhee (6'), Adam (47')
Sow (86'), Byrne (87'), Adam (90+2')
FT(HT: 1-0)
Haunstrup (77')
Millen (41'), Burke (49'), Broadfoot (54')

Tommy Wright: 'Keeping Kilmarnock up would rank as high as anything'

Tommy Wright: 'Keeping Kilmarnock up would rank as high as anything'
© Reuters
Killie take on Dundee in a two-legged play-off.

Tommy Wright says rescuing Kilmarnock's 28-year top-flight run would rank as highly as his St Johnstone successes.

The former Perth boss has gone down in McDiarmid Park history after leading Saints to their first major trophy win by lifting the Scottish Cup in 2014.

The Northern Irishman also secured five top-six finishes, guiding the club into Europe three times too during his seven years in charge.

But he reckons keeping Killie up this season would be just as impressive as any of those feats.

Wright inherited a side that had won just two games out of 11 when he took over in February.

They are now on a run of just two defeats in the last 14 but face one last major obstacle before they are safe, with their two-legged play-off final with Dundee kicking off at Dens Park on Thursday night before Monday's Rugby Park return.

"I think it would rank as high as anything," said Wright on the prospect of keeping Kilmarnock up. "It's a different set of circumstances I've had to come into. Usually I'm in the top six.

"So it will rank highly because of all the loses that the team had had before that.

"We've now managed to give ourselves an opportunity now in the play-offs to stay up."

Wright and Dens boss James McPake have both had their attempts at mind games this week in an attempt to ramp up the pressure.

McPake says the Ayrshiremen have it all to lose as they look to protect top-flight status dating back to 1993, but his Killie counterpart reckons Dundee are a club who really should be aiming for a return to life among the big boys.

But, while Wright hopes to heap strain on this week's opponents, he has spent the last few days trying to shield his players from the hype surrounding the build-up.

"The game is important for both clubs," insisted Wright. "Dundee are a big club, a massive club, who probably should be in the Premiership.

"The pressure is equal because the prize is the same for both teams. We're under no more pressure than they are.

"They have been in the Championship now for a couple of seasons.

"It's important – it's important that we stay in the league and we've got to make sure we do that.

"But it's also important that we have the players in the right frame of mind and take away the enormity of the situation. That's what we've tried to do.

"No-one can turn round and say we've played like a team struggling at the bottom of the table.

"We've dominated possession, we've created lot of chances, we've played in a certain style too.

"We haven't gone long, which teams tend to do when they feel under pressure.

"But both teams are under pressure. It's two big games for both clubs.

"We've tried to play it down, which is difficult at times. But we want everyone to go in relaxed and do what we believe they can do.

"In all the time we've been here, even with the position we're in, we haven't had crisis meetings. We've just tried to be as positive as we can with the players and it's worked to the extent that performances have improved and we look a really good side going forward."

ID:448179: cacheID:448179:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:4550:

VOTE IN THE END-OF-SEASON SPORTS MOLE AWARDS!

Have your say in the annual end-of-season Sports Mole Reader Awards!

Click here to vote for your Premier League Player of the Season, Goal of the Season, Signing of the Season and much more!


Restore Data
Share this article now:
Did you know...?
A general shot of a Premier League football ahead of the Premier League clash between Everton and West Ham United at Goodison Park on October 30, 2016
Read Next:
Dundee, Kilmarnock in good shape for opening playoff tie
>
Read more about Tommy Wright Football

rhs 2.0
Todays Game Header Right
Championship
La Liga
Serie A
Bundesliga
League One
National League
National League North
Scottish Cup
Belgian Pro League
Swedish Allsvenskan
Finnish Veikkausliiga
Welsh Premier League
Belarusian Premier League
Major League Soccer
Copa Diego Maradona
Uruguayan Primera Division
Australian A-League
J1 League
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Hearts25156453223151
2Raith Rovers26127745321343
3Dundee25119545341142
4Dunfermline AthleticDunfermline2610973833539
5Inverness Caledonian ThistleInverness2681173429535
6Queen of the SouthQotS2695123849-1132
7Arbroath2678112834-629
8Ayr UnitedAyr26610102935-628
9Greenock MortonMorton26610102233-1128
10Alloa AthleticAlloa2647152960-3119

Subscribe to our Newsletter


Transfer Talk Daily
Match previews - twice weekly
Morning Briefing (7am UTC)
Ultra close-up image of Kevin De Bruyne [NOT FOR USE IN ARTICLES]Get the latest transfer news, match previews and news direct to your inbox!