Derek McInnes hopeful Kilmarnock performances can help lure new striker

Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes hopes more results like Saturday's win over Rangers can help attract a new striker to the club.

With skipper Kyle Vassell building up to full fitness, natural wide players Marley Watkins and Matty Kennedy started up front in the Premiership opener but Killie came out on top thanks to Brad Lyons' goal.

"Ideally we would have had another forward player in for this game," McInnes said ahead of Sunday's trip to face Hearts. "It doesn't look likely now.

"We have a few plates spinning. We are trying to be patient, we are trying to hold our nerve with certain things.

"Everybody is looking for strikers and it's that domino effect. When somebody moves at some of these bigger clubs down the road or wherever, then sometimes the ripple effect maybe allows you to feel more confident about landing one or two.

"So we are trying, we are in the fight and hopefully we can deliver on that because I think that will be really important for us to bring in a different dimension at the top end of the pitch.

"The whole club has been working hard. All my staff, the club staff and particularly Ross Richardson, the head of recruitment, we have done a lot of work.

"Supporters probably only hear a lot of the time about the ones we do get done. There have been a host more that we have been right down the line and not been able to get them done.

"It can be a variety of reasons. Normally, particularly at the top end of the pitch, it's more than just you that's trying to sign them. It could be that you miss out for family reasons, finances is obviously a huge part of it, the league, the level, other teams.

"There is a frustration and upset with that but you have to go again and try and get good level of players."

Killie also have the chance to make a splash in the Viaplay Cup when they host Celtic on August 20 and McInnes aims to continue the feelgood factor.

He said: "All you do is put your best case forward and hopefully come out on top. We feel as if we have a good thing going here, it's a good club, good people, we feel we can be better than we have been over the last couple of years and it's up to us to show that.

"But to help us get there we need a good squad and a good level of player. It's getting enough good players in that can try and maybe change the perception of Kilmarnock and make it a wee bit more attractive to come here.

"A couple of agents and clubs we are speaking to sent messages after the game, so people are watching.

"If we took a sore one, it would be the flip side, people might think 'do we really want to go there?'.

"So it can't do us any harm. It doesn't give you any guarantees. We feel we have a good relationship with a lot of agents and clubs and we are really at their beck and call. All we can do is make a pitch and try and sell us and hopefully results like Saturday can help with that."

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