St Mirren 1-0 Kilmarnock: Alex Dyer says manager decision must be taken now

Kilmarnock need to decide on who their new manager is going to be "straight away" after a fifth consecutive defeat, says interim boss Alex Dyer.

Following the 1-0 Scottish Premiership loss against St Mirren, Dyer says the players "need to know" who will be in charge for the rest of the season.

And while the 54-year-old says the club are welcome to offer him the job, he will not be applying for it.

"It needs to be done, it needs to be settled right now," Dyer said.

• Durmus goal gives St Mirren win over Kilmarnock

Ilkay Durmus' early goal for St Mirren ensured Kilmarnock have now gone six games without scoring, and have lost five league games in a row for the first time since May 2015.

Since the sacking of Angelo Alessio on 17 December, Dyer has presided over three of those defeats - losing to Motherwell and Rangers before Sunday's reverse in Paisley.

"We need to sort out the manager issue straight away," he said. "Whether it's me or its someone else, the players need to know. Then we can work on getting some fresh blood in and working from there.

"It definitely needs to be made over the next week or so. Then it gives us a good three weeks to get players in. We've spoken about players already."

Dyer was assistant manager to Steve Clarke at Rugby Park, and remained in that role following the appointment of Italian Alessio in the summer.

And he admits that may put him in an awkward position should he apply for the job only to be overlooked in favour of another man.

"Someone else might come in and then they might want to keep me or they might want me to go," he said.

"That's my other issue. I can't be throwing my hat in there and then all of a sudden someone else comes in and says 'I don't want Alex Dyer around'. It's a difficult situation.

"I love the football club and I want to be around. But if a new manager comes in and says 'I don't want Alex Dyer around' then Alex Dyer has to go, and that's life."