Kris Doolan believes that the settled Partick Thistle players can take advantage of the managerial turmoil at Kilmarnock in Saturday’s crunch clash at the Energy Check Stadium at Firhill.
Killie are currently without a permanent manager since parting ways with Lee McCulloch last week, while Thistle have stood firmly behind their own manager Alan Archibald.
And even if the visitors appoint a new boss before the weekend, Doolan believes that the fact the Jags players know exactly what their boss is expecting from them, and the fact they are desperate to get a win for him, will give them the edge.
“I would imagine that Kilmarnock having sacked their manager there will be a bit of turmoil, and it’s up to us to capitalise on that,” Doolan said.
“We look after ourselves, we are Partick Thistle and what goes on at other clubs doesn’t really have anything to do with us.
“But we have to take advantage of anything that we can to get those points, and if there is a bit of turmoil there then that is good for us.
“We obviously have to be wary if they do appoint a new manager before the game because they will probably get a lift, we have to be ready for that. We have to be on the top of our game from the start.
“But I think it’s better to have our situation rather than have all the chopping and changing. We have stood by our manager and we get through these sticky situations and come out the other side stronger.
“We have a management team who are here for the long haul, and that’s important because the players pick up on that. Everything is more settled, we know what the management team are looking for, and I do think that is a lot better for us.
“We will be ready to take advantage of any uncertainty on the Kilmarnock side, and we will be ready to go for them the second that whistle goes.”
Doolan believes that injuries rather than a tough fixture list have been the main drivers behind the lack of points Thistle have picked up thus far this term.
And he also believes that things will pick up once the new players in the squad have settled in.
“There’s a few different reasons why the season has started the way it has,” he said. “Yes, we have had tough fixtures, but we’ve had a lot of injuries in some key areas of the field, and that’s hampered us.
“We also have some new players and it takes a bit of time to get that understanding. The players that have come in are different options, and that’s great for the team.
“But these things take a lot of practice to get it right. It won’t just happen overnight and players don’t always just slot in seamlessly.
“It would be great if that was the case, but it’s up to us and the management team to make sure that we are practicing these things day in, day out, so that when we go out on the field we know exactly what each of us are going to do and we can all link up.
“We need that understanding, and we are working hard on getting there every day.
“We have the players who can deliver and get us out of this situation though, and it’s up to us to step up to the plate now.”
Doolan has stressed that the big challenge is for Thistle to keep their cool, and stick to what has brought them success in the past rather than abandoning their principles.
“The big thing is not to panic, that’s the easy thing to do,” he said. “The hard thing is to stay relaxed and focused, because the pressure does begin to build.
“We’ve been over the course before, so it’s a case of trusting the management team and trusting the players that we have to perform and get us out of this situation. Ultimately, it’s down to us.”
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