Neil McCann, the man at the helm of Kilmarnock, insists that standing still is equivalent to moving backwards, and he is resolute about steering the club away from any thoughts of a relegation battle toward a genuine push for a top‑six finish. When he took charge in January, the Rugby Park side were languishing in 11th place, having dropped points in more than half of their fixtures.
A late‑season surge of victories, however, lifted them out of the relegation play‑off zone and gave the new manager a platform to look forward. "The feeling is that there's a lot of positivity around the club in terms of their thoughts for the season, in particular because of how well we finished," McCann told Sky Sports News. "But that's in the past and it's up to myself, Billy [Dodds] and the rest of the staff to really build a squad that can carry that on.
If you are standing still, you're effectively going backwards. So we need to definitely try and move ourselves forward. We don't want to be in a position we were in last January when I took over. We want to be really positive." His remarks underline a clear ambition: Kilmarnock must not merely survive, they must thrive.
The upcoming opening match of the Scottish Premiership campaign sees the club travel to McDiarmid Park to face newly promoted St Johnstone, a fixture that McCann expects to be a stern test rather than a cake‑walk. "Everybody maybe thinks it might be an easier start because it's St Johnstone and they have just come up from the Championship, but I think Simo [Valakari] has a real solid way of playing," he said.
"Like every manager, we're probably not quite at full tilt yet. Not at the top gears and we'll continue to strive to get there. But I just think the positivity of last year is a good thing to build on." Beyond tactics and morale, Kilmarnock are also benefitting from a significant change to their home playing surface. After a vote among top‑flight clubs to ban artificial pitches from the 2026/27 season, the club removed the synthetic turf that had been installed at Rugby Park and laid a new grass pitch – the first natural surface the stadium has seen since 2014.
McCann praised the new ground, noting that it was laid directly over the old astroturf, creating an exceptionally flat foundation. "Four weeks ago, five weeks ago, that was just a sandpit. I'm told by the groundsmen that in the next week or so it's going to really thicken up and it'll be a surface that will rival any in the country," he explained.
"I know we came in last year and it was really positive winning six out of the eight here at home, it became a bit of a fortress for us. But I think it's going to help us with the grass pitch. If I'm honest, I think every top league should have the grass pitches. This will be one of the finest in the country and hopefully that can benefit how we want to play." The transition back to grass is more than a cosmetic upgrade; it aligns with McCann’s vision of a playing style rooted in possession, fluid movement, and a higher technical standard that the club hopes the new surface will facilitate.
A smoother, more predictable pitch can aid quick passing sequences, reduce unpredictable ball bounces, and ultimately allow the team to implement a more expansive brand of football. In practical terms, the coaching staff, led by McCann and his assistant Billy Dodds, are focusing on strengthening the squad during the summer transfer window.
Their aim is to add depth in key areas, retain the core group that helped the club escape the relegation zone, and inject fresh talent capable of competing against the league’s traditional powerhouses. The manager emphasised that the club will not rest on the laurels of last season’s late‑stage resurgence but will instead use that momentum as a springboard for a more ambitious campaign. Kilmarnock’s supporters, who have endured a roller‑coaster of emotions over the past year, are eager for a fresh start.
The return to a natural grass pitch is already being hailed as a positive sign, and the optimism expressed by the manager resonates with fans who hope that the club can reclaim a place among Scotland’s elite. The upcoming season will test whether the blend of tactical evolution, squad reinforcement, and improved facilities can translate into consistent performances and a credible challenge for a top‑six finish. As the first match of the season looms, McCann remains realistic yet hopeful. "We know we’re not at full capacity yet, but we’re working every day to get there," he said.
"The positivity from last year gives us a solid foundation, and with the new pitch, the right players, and a clear plan, we believe Kilmarnock can move forward and leave the struggles of January behind." In summary, Neil McCann’s message to the club and its supporters is clear: stagnation is not an option. By embracing change—both on and off the field—Kilmarnock aims to build on recent progress, transform their home ground into a genuine advantage, and strive for a season that exceeds the modest expectations set after a difficult start. The journey ahead will demand hard work, strategic signings, and a collective belief that progress, however incremental, is always preferable to regression.