Kilmarnock's Lee McCulloch delivers 'home truths' to players

Lee McCulloch is looking for his players to show maximum effort against Aberdeen at Pittodrie

Lee McCulloch has revealed he delivered some "home truths" to his Kilmarnock players in one-to-one meetings since last week's defeat away to Motherwell.

Killie had only two shots on target in the 2-0 loss which left them with one point from their five league matches.

"From the first day, I said to the players: 'I'll give you 100% honesty', and I feel that's what I've done in the meetings," said the Rugby Park manager.

"There's no point doing it in a team meeting to try and embarrass anybody."

Speaking before his team travelled to Aberdeen for Saturday's Premiership match, McCulloch suggested some members of his squad were capable of producing more and that below-par performances would not be tolerated.

"After the Motherwell game, a few home truths were told so I'm pretty pleased with the way training went this week," he said.

"In the second half, when we lost the goal the body language and the heads went down and that was what annoyed me the most.

"We've been stressing all week we have to play to the final whistle.

"There's not one place in this team that's nailed down. Maybe there were a few thinking that, (but) certainly after the one-to-ones they won't be thinking that now.

"It was just about telling the players the truth.

"There were three or four in mind that I thought were still playing within themselves, and needed to come out of their shells and start expressing themselves a bit more.

"The proof is in the pudding. Come match day we will see how we go, but it's not for the want of trying."