Kilmarnock in freefall – but can Stuart Kettlewell turn it around?

Kettlewell resigned from his position as manager of fellow Premiership club Motherwell in January, citing personal abuse he had received from fans during a downturn in form.

In a similar vein to this campaign, he oversaw an encouraging start at Fir Park last term before standing down following a run of one win in nine.

There is also symmetry in the turnover of players the former Ross County boss had to manage over the summer, plus ongoing injury issues, which were a regular theme during his time in Lanarkshire.

Despite the alarming form he was enduring at the end of his Motherwell tenure, it was often the level of performance that attracted most of the criticism.

People tend to forget Well were the third highest scorers in the Premiership under Kettlewell in season 2023-24, when they finished ninth in the league.

However, he opted to alter his approach in the summer of 2024 to a more passive, counter attack-based style, which only brought more scrutiny when results did not come.

The same sort of questions that were being asked of Kettlewell a year ago are now being repeated by a different fanbase, though that will not be lost on the 41-year-old.

“In that first 45 minutes, I’m struggling to think of one occasion where a Kilmarnock player came out on top against a Falkirk player,” he said after Saturday’s sobering loss.

“We’re unable to pass the ball properly, we’re unable to secure the ball, which gives up opportunities for a good team to keep coming back at you.

“And again, I have to take full responsibility for that.”