Latest news with #RugbyPark
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Can 'significant' Ndaba sale be template for Killie?
Stuart Kettlewell aims to develop a "conveyor belt" of talent at Kilmarnock after Corrie Ndaba's departure to Serie A side Lecce for a "significant" fee. The 25-year-old left-back signed a three-year deal at Rugby Park last summer after impressing on loan but manager Kettlewell says the plan for Ndaba was always to move on. "We definitely have to look to bring in another one or two just to gain that balance to our squad," he told Sky Sports. "With regards to Corrie, I only worked with him for a short period of time but he's a lad I really like as a person first and foremost and a really talented player. A big part of why you come here is you know we are a selling club. There's no hiding from that. "We always want to get the best value for players but it's been a huge part of my remit in my previous two clubs as a manager and it'll be a part of what we want to do here. "We want to develop players, ideally our own, but you know in somebody like Ndaba there's been a plan there that he comes here, he does well and the potential of that sell on and what people need to realise is that sale was significant. "The number and the price towards the football club is significant. I've never been a doom and gloom guy with those types of scenarios. Of course you want to work with the best players but we need to try and create that conveyor belt. "If we lose any players for significant value for the football club then we have to ensure that we try and replace them and we try and go through that process again and again and again and there's been a lot of positives in terms of players showing up well so far for us. We look to continue now."
BBC News
9 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Can 'significant' Ndaba sale be template for Killie?
Stuart Kettlewell aims to develop a "conveyor belt" of talent at Kilmarnock after Corrie Ndaba's departure to Serie A side Lecce for a "significant" 25-year-old left-back signed a three-year deal at Rugby Park last summer after impressing on loan but manager Kettlewell says the plan for Ndaba was always to move on."We definitely have to look to bring in another one or two just to gain that balance to our squad," he told Sky Sports."With regards to Corrie, I only worked with him for a short period of time but he's a lad I really like as a person first and foremost and a really talented player. A big part of why you come here is you know we are a selling club. There's no hiding from that."We always want to get the best value for players but it's been a huge part of my remit in my previous two clubs as a manager and it'll be a part of what we want to do here."We want to develop players, ideally our own, but you know in somebody like Ndaba there's been a plan there that he comes here, he does well and the potential of that sell on and what people need to realise is that sale was significant."The number and the price towards the football club is significant. I've never been a doom and gloom guy with those types of scenarios. Of course you want to work with the best players but we need to try and create that conveyor belt."If we lose any players for significant value for the football club then we have to ensure that we try and replace them and we try and go through that process again and again and again and there's been a lot of positives in terms of players showing up well so far for us. We look to continue now."
RTÉ News
a day ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Republic of Ireland Under-18 capped Corrie Ndaba leaves Kilmarnock for Lecce
Kilmarnock have sold Republic of Ireland Under-18 international defender Corrie Ndaba to Serie A side Lecce for an undisclosed fee. The versatile 25-year-old has signed a three-year contract with the Italian club 12 months after joining Killie on a permanent transfer from Ipswich. The Irishman spent the previous season at Rugby Park on loan and made 76 appearances in total. Ndaba showed his gratitude to the "Kilmarnock family" in a farewell message on social media. "From the bottom of my heart, I want to say thank you," he wrote. "Since the moment I arrived at Rugby Park, I've felt nothing but love and support from the fans. Your passion, loyalty, and warmth made it an honor (sic) to wear the Kilmarnock badge, and I'll carry those memories with me forever. "The way you welcomed me as one of your own means more than I can put into words. "To the coaching staff, medical team, and everyone behind the scenes — thank you for your belief in me, your hard work, and for helping me grow both on and off the pitch. "To my teammates — thank you for the shared moments, the laughs, and the unity we had every day. It's been a privilege to be part of such a group. "Kilmarnock will always have a place in my heart. I'm excited for the next chapter, but I'll always be a supporter from afar and will be wishing the club nothing but success." A club statement added: "Everyone at Kilmarnock FC would like to thank Corrie for his outstanding contribution to the club and the way he represented Killie throughout his time in Ayrshire. We wish him every success in this exciting next chapter of his career in Italy." The 25-year-old has one cap for the Republic of Ireland U-18 team rom 2016 and was called up to Stephen Kenny's Under-21 side in 2019. Evan Ferguson signed a loan deal with AS Roma from Brighton.
BBC News
3 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Kettlewell's Killie still 'a work in progress'
Kilmarnock manager Stuart Kettlewell says his side are still a "work in progress" despite topping their League Cup duo Marcus Dackers and Djenairo Daniels both scored, with teenager Ben Brannan bagging a brace against East Fife as they settled any lingering nerves from a goalless draw midweek with Kelty Hearts, and missing out on the bonus point as they lost the penalty shootout, some of the Rugby Park faithful may have remained sceptical of the side's pre-season preparations. "By and large, I was [pleased]," he told BBC Scotland. "I thought we started pretty well, obviously a wee bit more ruthless than we were the other night. "We hit the back of the net a couple of times early in the game, and it starts to settle you down."My one wee frustration was there was a bit of slackness about us in the last 15 or so minutes. It's just to try to sustain the levels we've found throughout the game, but it's a work in progress, and we'll try to make that better."18-year-old Ben Brannan, who scored on either side of the interval, was impressive throughout the game, and many Killie fans are hopeful he will play a part in the Premiership this season."I hope so," Kettlewell added on if Brannan can make an impact this season."I will give young players an opportunity if they show the qualities to play at this level. Quite clearly, we see Ben has bags of potential."What's been great for him in that position he's been playing is he's been able to come off the left hand side and finish but his more natural side is on the right."
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
'We would rather have a dead rubber'
Stephen Frail would rather have a dead rubber than qualification on the line in Kilmarnock's final game of the Premier Sports Cup stage stage. The Rugby Park side top Group H but are just a point clear of Saturday's visitors East Fife and fellow Premiership side Livingston, who host Kelty Hearts. Killie could only draw 0-0 at Kelty in midweek before missing out on a bonus point with defeat on penalties. "It's all good having a competitive edge but if I'm being honest we'd rather have a dead rubber," said assistant manager Frail. "It has got that edge, East Fife are in this mini table because they've got results. "We know how tough the game will be, me and the manager watched them last week against Kelty and they got the 1-0 win. "We didn't beat Kelty, so we know they've got qualities, an experienced manager and management team. "We know the threat they will pose coming in and they will be definitely hoping to win, to progress if other results go their way, so we need to make sure that doesn't happen."
