What a season it is for the team. Even the most hopeful supporter could not have predicted the sharp turnaround in results following an inconsistent first few months of the season, but the team’s performance since December was what we all thought it was capable of.
Everything that we’ve grown accustomed to was captured in the draw at Celtic. organised, diligent, cooperative, and high calibre. Not only can we compete, but most importantly, we have the self-assurance to challenge the best.
Stuart Findlay is one of the key components of the system. We had a conversation last Wednesday midweek about a variety of subjects, some of which I can’t talk about at this time, but stay tuned for more shortly.
This is our Q&A covering everything this season. Have fun
This year, we have defeated a very small number of teams. The games against the teams we haven’t been able to defeat have been really tight. No team has ever dominated us, save for maybe one or two games lasting half an hour. As the competition progresses, you begin to focus more on the finish line. In the quarterfinals, we are tied after winning a corresponding league game. We have already defeated Aberdeen, therefore we are confident in our ability. We are aware that we have a strong chance to defeat a team that we have already defeated at their stadium this season.
Anybody can win two football games on their day, knowing that if you win that game, you’ll get to Hampden and be two games away from winning a trophy. Therefore, while I don’t want to predict that we will win the cup, it would be foolish to ignore the possibility that we will be the side to raise the trophy now that we are in the quarterfinals.
There must be individuals here who want to experience winning a cup, since a lot of talented players will never have participated in a semi-final or final, much less won one.
The fact that we were never able to reach the Hampden semi-final is, I believe, my greatest regret from the Clarke era. We were only able to reach the last eight. Arriving at Hampden at this moment would be pleasant. Although I’ve had the good fortune to perform at Hampden, it hasn’t always been in the grand style of a semifinal or final. That would feel nothing like anything I’ve experienced. I really want to do it at some point in my career, and because I’m only one game away, I doubt I’ll have many more opportunities.
Returning on loan was a nerve-wracking one. I didn’t play as much as I would have liked while I was in America. I signed up to pursue a career restart at Oxford. To be very honest, I had a pretty bad season. It was very taxing for me to try to resume playing every week yet be unable to achieve consistency. It’s not that I’m making excuses for my mental health; I simply didn’t have a good season. I was given permission to leave on loan. With three years remaining on your contract, it goes without saying that you need to perform admirably in order to try to restart things.
When the manager called, my immediate thought was that I would really like to return to Kilmarnock. But my dad was right when he said that you should exercise caution because things aren’t always the same when you return. You don’t want to almost destroy your reputation, so I was cautious. Before I signed, the fans really thought highly of me, and when I saw the remarks on social media after my return, it did cause anxiety because you start to wonder, “What if I don’t perform in the same way?” Nothing could have gone better for the season.
I believe I’ve played my way back into the form that Kilmarnock remembers me for, as I sit fourth. I am once again content with my performance and at ease in the park. Hopefully, we maintain it, conclude the season with a bang, and who knows what can occur the next year. Although I still have two years left at Oxford, I would never turn down the opportunity to explore my alternatives if the club isn’t interested in keeping me there. Especially given how fantastic the season has been, I wouldn’t pass down the opportunity.
My subsequent inquiry was whether you would consider returning for a longer loan or on a permanent basis.
In football, it’s difficult to make this statement because 95% of players don’t have the option of choosing their final destination. It depends on who you are needed by, when they need you, and for what kind of clubs. Regarding the circumstances, all I can say is that I would never abandon this club. At any point in my career, I would always consider it a very serious alternative. All I have to do is wait until the conclusion of the season to see what the teams desire, then base my decision accordingly.
