Shiels has Alexei backing

Eremenko: Wants continuity at the club

Kilmarnock's on-loan ace Alexei Eremenko believes the club should go with caretaker manager Kenny Shiels for the rest of the season.

Shiels has been placed in caretaker charge following Mixu Paatelainen's exit on Thursday to become Finland head coach.

Kilmarnock claimed a goalless draw from their weekend trip to St Johnstone and Eremenko believes they need continuity now more than ever.

As Shiels was Paatelainen's right-hand man the Finland international thinks it would make sense to give him the chance to win the job full time.

Changes

"It was a strange week for us. There were rumours about the manager before that and we were expecting him to leave, but not so fast," he told the Press and Journal.

"But that's football. Players come and players go, and coaches come and coaches go as well. The guys here may have wanted him to stay to the end of the season but that's football and I'm sure Kenny Shiels can do the job.

"It's no use getting anybody else now because I don't really know who else could come and do the job.

"Kenny and Mixu have done an excellent job, and Kenny knows how Mixu is and he's not going to change anything.

"We're just going to continue playing how we did and the lads know that. I don't see the use in changing it now."