27-05-2025
'Steady Kettlewell will be hungry for success after tough spell'
Does Stuart Kettlewell's Scottish Premiership experience make him a shrewd and steady Kilmarnock appointment?
The former Motherwell boss' move to Rugby Park has been met with mixed reviews from fans of the Ayrshire club.
Kettlewell led the Steelmen to seventh and ninth-placed finishes in his time at Fir Park before departing with the team in fifth in January.
The ex-Ross County manager's Well exit came amid a run of one win in nine games, with the 40-year-old citing fan abuse as the reason for his resignation.
Despite a bottom-six finish, Well scored the third most goals in the league in the 2023-24 season under Kettlewell.
But a shift in playing style earlier this campaign prompted criticism from the support even though the team were competing for a top-half spot.
Could Kettlewell's experience of that scrutiny benefit Kilmarnock? The Scotman's sports editor Mark Atkinson believes so.
Speaking on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast, he said: "I think it's a steady appointment. Kilmarnock fans might take umbrage at that, but I think it's not a bad choice.
"I think he'll do a really good job because he's so experienced. I think when you get a manager that's come out of a really difficult period, they're going to be even hungrier for success than some others."
