Locke: Teale deserves to continue

Photo by Jeff Holmes

Kilmarnock boss Gary Locke reckons his St Mirren counterpart Gary Teale deserves the chance to rip up his team and start again.

The Buddies are 10 points adrift at the bottom of the Scottish Premiership table and destined for the drop.

Relegation is the last thing former Scotland winger Teale will want to have stamped on his CV just six months into his managerial career.

He was given the Saints job until the end of the campaign after replacing Tommy Craig just before the turn of the year but does not know if he will still be in charge come next season.

But Locke - whose side travel to Paisley on Saturday - believes Teale should be allowed to continue as he plots a rebuilding mission.

Locke said: "Every job is difficult but Gary has handled himself brilliantly.

St Mirren are like ourselves, they have not got a lot of resources to bring players in.

"He tried to do a bit of wheeling and dealing in January but it can be difficult as there's not a lot of players available in that window.

"But I think Gary has gone in there and done as well as he possibly can do.

"It's not for me to say if he will get the job full-time as I don't know will happen but I definitely think he deserves another shot at it.

"He deserves the opportunity of a clean slate to show what he can do. It's the same with me here, you want to put your own stamp on things.

"Knowing him as I do, I don't see him letting the situation get the better of him. He's taken the job under some extremely difficult circumstances. The club is up for sale and it's not been easy for him - but management never is.''

Killie have lost four on the bounce but a win at St Mirren park would all but confirm their safety from the relegation play-off.

St Mirren are on an even worse run, with seven defeats from their last eight games - but Locke is only worrying about his own side.

"We've had a couple of bad results ourselves so I'm not too overly concerned about St Mirren,'' he said.

"My only focus is Kilmarnock and to make sure we get back to winning ways.''