Kilmarnock boss Stuart Kettlewell wants his players to have high standards if they are to improve

Kilmarnock manager Stuart Kettlewell is encouraging his players to demand standards from each other even if it means they fall out.

Killie have lost four consecutive matches ahead of facing Premiership champions Celtic on Sunday.

And Kettlewell feels harsh words are sometimes necessary – as long as the outcome is ultimately constructive.

“So often it’s just making sure that you demand a standard,” he said. “For example, if something’s happening to us in a particular area of the pitch, we should be in a position where we rectify it. The easiest place to start is from the players when we see it. But for that we have to communicate and drive those standards.

“Sometimes we fall out. I’m very much from a generation in a couple of dressing rooms where falling out, arguing, fighting, was normal.

“The other part of that is that that can’t be taken as an offence either. That’s something that we’ve not had to speak about too much until the last two weeks.

“If you fall out with somebody for the right reason and there’s a bit of detail and a bit of information there, I always believe we go and sit beside each other in the lunchroom after it and we get an understanding of it.

“We’ve seen this willingness to get better, to improve, to stop conceding goals.

“Sometimes that can spill over into being slightly aggressive in how you come across and demanding standards of those round about you, disagreements. It’s life. That’s what happens.

“But for me it’s always what happens next and that’s not to spill over into something that becomes this drama.”

The former Ross County and Motherwell manager recalled an incident at a previous club where a training-ground argument between players was perceived as an “enormous drama”.

“I find that really difficult to comprehend from somebody that doesn’t watch soap operas and reality programmes and all that type of stuff,” he said.

“Sometimes you call somebody out. Sometimes they’re disgruntled by a decision you’ve made on the pitch. That’s okay. It’s about how you move on and understanding what the correct outcome is on it.

“My job is to make sure that we encourage that environment but always in the right way.

“And I think that will help you if you lose a goal or you’re up against it in a game.”

Eddie Beach looks set to start at Celtic Park with on-loan Hoops goalkeeper Tobi Oluwayemi unable to face his parent club after making two appearances.

Beach conceded six goals in the previous two matches after Max Stryjek was ruled out for several months.

Killie were reported to have failed in a bid to sign either Craig Gordon or Zander Clark from Hearts in an emergency loan and are instead set to recall 19-year-old Corey Armour from Kelty Hearts.

Kettlewell said: “Once you’ve had an unforeseen injury, we’re trying to see if there’s another option we can bring into a certain area of the pitch.

“So, safe to say we’ve been doing that, but there also has to be willingness from players and clubs and everyone else to make sure that it’s right for them.”