Locke Targeting Full-Time Role

Gary Locke admits he would feel hard done by if he was not given the Kilmarnock job on the back of a top-six finish. The former Hearts boss has been put in charge of the Rugby Park outfit for the rest of the season after Allan Johnston was axed. The 39-year-old's first task is to ensure Killie are not dragged into the Scottish Premiership relegation scrap - but Locke has not ruled out making a bid for the top half of the table. His new charges will have to reign in sixth-place St Johnstone's five point lead but Locke is not sure if pulling off that feat would secure him the manager's position for good. He said: "There will be a lot of people who will put themselves forward for the job so I know I need to win games if I'm to have any chance of keeping it. "When you look at where we are in the table, we know we have still got a chance of the top six, so we have to aim for that. But the most important thing is that we don't get dragged into the relegation issue. "Would a top-six place guarantee me the job? I've not thought that far ahead to be honest. The board have put me in charge for the foreseeable future and I know in football that you never look too far ahead. "If I did put the club in the top six and didn't get the job I'd probably feel hard done by. But that's for another day." Johnston stunned the Ayrshiremen's support last Thursday when he announced during his weekly press conference that he was quitting at the end of the season. The club's board decided to remove him from his post the following day but his former assistant Locke insists he would not have stepped up to replace his friend had Johnstone not handed him his blessing. "I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a shock to find myself in charge," he said. "I always saw myself getting back into management but I didn't see it happening this way. "Of course I had thoughts about walking with Allan. He brought me here and I would like to think I'm a very loyal person. But it's the mark of Allan that he is always thinking of others. "He told me to take the opportunity if it came and once I got his blessing I was delighted." Locke admits he has "unfinished business" with management after being axed by Hearts after guiding them through their black days of administration. But he is hoping to avoid similar problems at Killie. He said: "The last manager's job I had was very difficult. It seemed like I was doing it with both hands tied behind my back at times. "But it has certainly made me a better manager and better person. I've learned a lot from everything that went on and hopefully I won't face the same problems I had at Tynecastle here. "I try not to look backwards but it's great to see the young boys coming through at Hearts and know I played a part in their development. Hopefully I can do the same here." Johnston admitted he decided to walk after the club sold midfielder Robbie Muirhead to Dundee United without informing him first. By quirk of fate, Killie's first home match since the transfer window closed will see the Arabs visit. Locke, though, is more concerned with adding to his squad than worrying about the players he has lost. "We lost Robbie on transfer deadline day so we're a little bit short up front," said the interim boss, who is without injured strikers Lee Miller and Michael Ngoo. "I've been trying to work on bringing in some free agents in the last couple of days. But we've got to understands that financially, the club has just managed to get debt free and we don't want to end up in trouble again. "That was one of the reasons Robbie had to go, because the club needed the money. Sometime you just have to accept things. "The board have said that they will try their best and that's all you can ask."