Selected Neil McCann Comments 2026.
Killie FC
Jan 17th 2026 on the Dee (Cup) Post-Match: I’ve been trying to tell the group that they need to stay together. You need to play with a bond at times when you’re asked questions defensively. I felt we defended crosses really well. Yogane and Congreve on either wing gave us a lot of trouble - they’re playing with lots of confidence. But on the whole, I thought we dealt with balls into our box, albeit, we rode are luck with two efforts hitting the bar. I’ve seen plenty of worse (ends to a game). I’m unhappy with how our shape broke to allow the gaps for their first goal. Of course, the mistake that leads to their second goal is a sore one to take. A wee bit of miscommunication hurts us." - Match Recap -
Jan 10th 2026 on the Livi Post-Match: "We showed a lot of character today, considering we went down 1-0 so close to half-time and up to that point I felt we were the better side. It was a sore one to lose right before half-time. It's been a difficult couple of days for them to adjust to a new management team coming in. At times, when we were put under pressure, we stood up to it. The character's there, the grit, determination's there. All in all you could probably say it was a fair result." - Match Recap -
Jan 7th 2026 on the Livi Pre-Match: When asked about a victory in the basement battle at bottom side Livi this weekend would be the perfect start for McCann and co.... "It's huge,"
Here is Neil's entire press conference....
Q. Congratulations, Neil. How happy are you to be here?
“I’m delighted to have been given the opportunity with a highly-coveted job. A lot of people expressed an interest in it.
“I know the position we find ourselves in is a difficult one. I’m very aware that we’ve not won in 14 games. But I never had any hesitation.
“When I left the Rangers job, it had really lit the fire to get back involved in football at the sharp end.
“I love the media stuff that I do. I do it in a way from a football perspective in terms of trying to be constructive tactically.
“I’ve got a very big ambition coming to Kilmarnock to turn things around, coming in with Billy. He’s a great coach and a first-class guy, and I think he’ll make a brilliant impact on the dressing room.
“When the interview process came about, I was absolutely delighted that I took the call to say I’d been offered the opportunity to take us forward, and there was no hesitation.”
Q. How long had you looked to get back in for?
“When I went in at Dundee, and it’s not a direct comparison, but I went in there having worked with Sky, but there were similarities of a run of defeats. They were in a real poor position.
“Lots of people questioned why I wanted to come out of what I was doing then to become a manager, or if I was even capable.
“When I stopped playing I went to get all my coaching licences because I knew my ambition of being at the front-end would never leave me. If you’re a football guy, nothing beats being at the side of the pitch.
“When I left Dundee and went into the Inverness job, I went into something completely different in the consultancy and agency world, but always with a sharp eye and a feeling that if something came back up, and the Rangers thing is more recent, which reignited that.
“Opportunities have come my way off the back of that, but they weren’t quite right at the time. When this job came up, I wasn’t even interested in where the club were sitting, I was looking at the opportunity.
“I believe Kilmarnock have a bright future. Billy and the board are putting a lot of money into this club, to secure its future with the new training ground and we’re going back to grass, which is brilliant. One of the best pitches I’ve ever played on was always Rugby Park back in the day, and Gal here will be delighted to get back on the lawnmowers next season.
“It’s so important we stay in the Premiership. That’s up to me, the players, Billy and the rest of the staff to make sure we start making that look more likely.”
Q. What are your ambitions for your time here?
“To make an impact on the dressing room we find ourselves in right now. I’ve got no long-term plans because I don’t think we’ve got the luxury of that position to look too far ahead.
“There’s been terrific managers who have had great success here, and I’ve leaned on every single one of them since taking the job.
“Jim Jefferies has been in touch, Stevie Clarke and Derek McInnes. Guys I feel I can completely relate to, their personalities and what they can offer. They’ve done great things here in the past.
“The view is right now, it’s laser focused, and that’s Livingston at the weekend. Of course, I’ve got an eye on what we would like to do here as a football club.
“But like I said to the boys in the dressing room, my previous job before I came in here was analysing football, teams and individuals. I think I can improve the group.
“The boys have been in a lot of games, like Livingston who play on Saturday, and it’s just details that are costing us. What’s gone is gone, this is a new page moving forward.”
Q. It’s 14 games without a win. How do you turn that around and have you got the answers in the building?
“I do believe I’ve got the answers in the building. I want them to go play with a bit of freedom, a bit of bravery. It’s up to us to allow all of that to happen, by putting a bit of structure in place behind the scenes. What I mean by that, if I’m asking the boys to do X in the final third to get us goals that’s going to get us wins, then we’ve got to do the work as a coaching staff have got to find the right formation so that we’re solid enough, to allow the guys in the final third to go take risks.
“That’s how we arrest it. No matter what we do as coaches, when the players cross the line, they’ve got to do their job. At times, I think they’ve just made some bad decisions. It’s just trying to eradicate them.
“There’s been success stories all over the league. This is a strange season. Teams are surprising everybody. We’re in a position right now where it’s not comfortable. I don’t like that. We’ve just got to prove that hard work brings results.
“The fans have found things really frustrating. I want fans to completely re-engage with the team. The only way we can do that is by them getting fully behind us, then hopefully we have more of them coming back into the ground.”
Q. How big a game is this weekend vs Livingston?
“It’s three points. As I’ve told you, what’s happened is gone. It doesn’t matter. I’m not looking at the table right now and thinking ‘Oh, this is a must win game’.
“This is a huge game. Our fans might even be saying it’s a must win game, and I understand the importance of it.
“But as Dundee have proved in the last three games, every three points makes such a difference no matter who you’re playing, be it teams around about you, or at the top of the table. It’s the same three points, and it’s the same level of performance you’re going to have to give to get them. I’m looking at it as a fresh table right now.”
Q. Did you see enough self-belief in the squad yesterday to see they can get themselves out of this?
“It’s way too early. We were only in the door yesterday. I’m not sure how delighted they were that I took their day off away from them!
“When I explained why I had to get them in yesterday, they understand why. It’s so important because we’ve got such a small amount of time before Saturday.
“We just had a wee chat with them, just to get to know them. It’s alright knowing someone from the outside, but it’s going to take a far greater time than one day to get to know their personalities.
“They completely engaged with what we spoke about. The enthusiasm that Billy will bring, Clarky [Craig Clark] behind the scenes, it’s all going to be so important.
“They just need to find that bit of inner belief. They’re at a Premiership football club, playing for Kilmarnock and they’re good enough to get results.”
Q. What assurances did you get that there’s a budget there to add to the squad?
“I didn’t ask for assurances. This job is a very good job. Yes, they’re going to work hard behind the scenes to get help to the dressing room, but there was no assurances or guarantees. I can’t force that upon Kilmarnock right now. I’ve just got to take 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 want to bring people in. The board have assured me that they’ll work to do that, but there’s no guarantees, and I can’t have those guarantees. As everyone in this room knows, and as every manager will tell you, the January transfer window does not guarantee you what you’re after.”
We live in an era where some fans make their minds up before a manager has even started. What would you say to any fans who are maybe sceptical of your appointment?
“I don’t read social media. As long as my boys in the dressing room are engaging with what I’m giving them on the training field, results will completely dictate that.
“I’ve been given a huge vote of confidence by a board to come and take the reins. I must’ve done enough to give them the confidence to do that in the interview process.
“My past experiences when I went into Dundee, Inverness and then the time before that with Jim Jefferies at Dunfermline, during a very difficult period, and then of course at Rangers, I fully believe in myself.
“I’m not pumping my own tyres up here. It’s going to be real hard work to achieve what we want to achieve. Time will tell whether we can get the results.”
Q. What did it take at Dundee and how can you transfer it to this?
“Hard work and information. It’s all about players. It’s all about them and what they do on the pitch. We can affect that with the information.
“When it boils down to it, for this group, it’s about getting that first win. If we get that first win, I think we’ll catch fire.”
Q. How’s the squad looking for Saturday?
“Good, aye. We’ve got a few issues in terms of injuries with the long-termers who are out.
“I think we’ve got 20-odd players training today, which is good in terms of numbers. It means we can get a good look at everybody. The next couple of days will determine who we’ve got available for Saturday.”
Prior Stuart Kettlewell (& Kris Doolan) comments are - HERE
2025-26: Killie Hotshots I Squad I Home I Season Diary
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