Kilmarnock

We asked for your views after Kilmarnock were beaten 3-1 on aggregate by Copenhagen in the Conference League play-off.

Here's what some of you said:

Bill: Over the 90 minutes against Copenhagen on Thursday at Rugby Park, the opposition looked fitter, faster and more skilful. They could pass and move quickly. If the Killie players were coached to that level, we would be a match for anyone in the Scottish Premiership and for many teams in Europe. Creative midfielders and competent finishers needed.

Robert B: Despite the immense gulf in spending power between the two clubs Kilmarnock didn't embarrass themselves and proved if there was an equality in money distribution in Scotland, Scottish clubs can compete in Europe. We were far from perfect but the effort and battling qualities deserved the standing ovation at the end, three home games in Europe undefeated.

Robert M: It has been so good to watch different teams playing different styles of football. Copenhagen had what we lack, namely players able to take a pass under pressure and keep possession of the ball. Proud of our efforts and can't fault the total commitment but the different level of class showed in the end.

Stephen: We saved our best performance until last in Europe but it wasn't enough. Copenhagen had players all over the pitch who were comfortable on the ball. Our defenders were heading clear and hitting long, theirs were controlling the ball, bringing it down and finding passes. Great effort though, but in perspective, teams from Wales and Northern Ireland are through.

Anna: Unlucky to lose that way. It was always a tough ask to beat Copenhagen but I feel the boys couldn't have given any more and they can be proud of themselves. At least they got further than Connah's Quay Nomads in 2020, that was a monumental mess-up.

Andrew: I'm proud of our efforts over the last six weeks. We've made three European teams looks very average, which does leave a lingering doubt of could we have got more from them but the effort and commitment was faultless and we've done ourselves proud. Hopefully Derek can build on this and get us back in this world again soon.

Gemma: We fought well, especially in the first half, we got a bit tired and leggy in the second half but still stuck at it, we were unlucky but the boys should be proud of themselves in what they have achieved, now it's time to focus back on the league and get up that table to try again next year.

Amy: I'm unbelievably proud of the team, we were beaten by a much bigger side and it's created memories that'll last a lifetime. Bruges, Tromso¸ and Copenhagen were trips I'll never forget. Now onto the league!

Jim: If that was attacking football then you can keep it, the long ball is not working. A keeper who kicks the ball out or to an opposition player, every time! Right, back to bread and butter, we must win against Hibs on Sunday or our season is in deep trouble. Our forward line needs a fresh look. We need to play differently up front.

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Kilmarnock bowed out of Europe with their heads held high.

The Rugby Park side's 1-1 draw with Copenhagen at Rugby Park resulted in a 3-1 aggregate defeat, bringing to an end a memorable European adventure that took them to Belgium, Norway and Denmark.

Speaking to the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast, former Scotland goalkeeper Gemma Fay insisted the Ayrshire club should be proud of their European performance.

"Derek McInnes's interview gave me a little bit of goosebumps because you can hear in his voice how connected he is with that club," Fay said.

"The words he used last night were 'immensely proud of this club', and they should be.

"They should be immensely proud becaus they've drawn at home to a club that beat Man United, that drew with Bayern Munich.

"That's a pretty big feat. The challenge for them now is see that grit, determination, the high press, that's what his team does, take that into your league form."

Derek McInnes was "immensely proud" of his players, despite the fact they fell short of upsetting Copenhagen as the Danes snatched a draw at Rugby Park to end the Ayrshire side's European journey.

A Marley Watkins first-half strike put buoyant Kilmarnock just one goal behind on aggregate, but they were unable to capitalise on any dominance and soon saw their dreams dashed in the second half by a Lewis Mayo own goal.

What did you make of that, Kilmarnock fans? Do you leave Europe with your heads held high?

Or is that an opportunity missed? Are you happy to be able to focus on the leagues?

Let us know your thoughts., external

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

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Boss Derek McInnes said he wanted this game to become a "nightmare" for Copenhagen and, for a while, it was.

They pressed their opponents high from the first whistle, making the game really uncomfortable for the Danes, who started to look nervy.

They got their reward for it - unsurprisingly from a set-piece - but the cracks started to show after the break.

They couldn't keep that relentless energy up and stepped a yard off Copenhagen, who took full advantage of the extra time and space to click into gear, playing the game they wanted it to be played.

It's been far from the dream start to the season for Kilmarnock. They've struggled for fitness and had to rotate heavily because of the demand of European games.

However, they can leave Europe with their heads held high after a few battling performances. They need to show that grit in the league now - just like they did last season.

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Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes told BBC Scotland: "We said to the players prior to the game, regardless of the outcome, we were immensely proud.

"I tried to give them real belief pre-match. We felt the harshness of last week, but we were a match for them and we tried to take that confidence into the game.

"We knew we had to plant a seed of doubt and we did exactly that. We were terrific from the get go. We sensed a second goal. That said, they had a couple of moments on transitions and we knew that's where we would be vulnerable.

"I thought Kieran O'Hara was terrific, some fantastic saves. Half-time came at a bad time for us.

"We gave ourselves a chance tonight, that's the thing. We could have set up and been a bit more canny in our work. I don't think they enjoyed the game.

"At the start of the second half, they enjoyed the game too much for my liking. We needed to take the sting out of the game. Their movement was good.

"Over the piece, we had a proper opportunity. The own goal was harsh on us but the game played out in a manner which I hoped. We just never got the second goal.

"Our familiarity of the team was our bedrock last season - it was the same nine or 10 players. I've not been able to do that this season for different reasons. I know what we're capable of and we'll start throwing punches again domestically."

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Kieran O'Hara. The goalkeeper made one genuinely world class save, and another one which most keepers would be proud of.

There is now real pressure on summer signing Robby McCrorie on getting back in the team, as O'Hara looks undroppable.

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Kilmarnock: O'Hara, Wright, Mayo, Findlay, Burroughs, Armstrong, Lyons, Donnelly, Kennedy, Vassell, Watkins.

Substitutes: McCrorie, Ndaba, Deas, McKenzie, Mackay-Steven, Watson, Cameron, Anderson, Wales, Brannan, Polworth, Bainbridge.

Copenhagen: Trott, Diks, Vavro, Pereira, Claesson, Elyounoussi, Lerager, Lopez, Achouri, Falk, Froholdt.

Substitutes: Sander, Runarsson, Garananga, Mattson, Robert, Oskarsson, Hojer, Chiakha, Bidstrup.

As Friday's 23:00 BST transfer deadline edges closer, where do Kilmarnock still need to strengthen and what deals would you like completed before the window closes?

Have your say here, external.

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Kilmarnock need a fast start to boost their hopes of overcoming Copenhagen tonight, says former Rugby Park player and boss Gary Locke.

The Danes take a 2-0 lead to Ayrshire with a place in the Conference League up for grabs.

"It's going to be a tough night, Copenhagen have got a great history being a Champions League team but if Kilmarnock turn up hopefully they can get a good result," Locke told BBC Radio Scotland.

"Derek's team-talk tonight will be we've got to come out of the traps, we have to come after them and score early doors.

"Rugby Park will get behind Killie and I'm sure it will be vociferous for the Copenhagen players.

"If Killie can score early and get momentum - I'm not sure how the Copenhagen players will fancy playing on the surface at Rugby Park either - they'll be well in the tie."

Paul Montgomery, of the Killie Forever and Ever Podcast, says "miracles do happen" as Derek McInnes' side look to overturn a 2-0 first-leg deficit against Copenhagen at Rugby Park on Thursday night to reach the Conference League.

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Jack Burroughs says Kilmarnock are "feeling optimistic" about their Conference League second-leg play-off against Copenhagen.

The 23-year-old defender says despite being 2-0 down from the first leg that the pressure isn't on Killie.

The on-loan Coventry man said: "We're going into the game as underdogs but we have got a point to prove, we know what a good team we are and we know what's on the line.

"We showed last week we have the ability to go toe-to-toe with a team of this calibre and I'm sure we will put our best foot forward and take the game to them.

"A game with this much anticipation and pressure on it, we've got to do everything we can to give ourselves the best chance of winning and part of that is discipline.

"No matter what stage of your career you're at, people dream of playing European football when they're kids, so for me to come on loan and have the opportunity to do that here would be incredible."

Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes says his side must make Thursday's second leg Copenhagen's "biggest nightmare".

The Rugby Park club have to overturn a two-goal deficit to progress to the Conference League.

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Away from the intense build-up to a seismic European second leg and dealing with a hectic end to the transfer window, Derek McInnes had some "Santa" duties to attend to this week.

It is only August, but the Kilmarnock manager said he felt like Father Christmas when phoning youngster Bobby Wales to notify him he was in the Scotland Under-21 squad.

After an impressive loan spell at Alloa last term, the 19-year-old striker has gained first-team action at Rugby Park this season and scored his first club goal with a late equaliser against Tromso earlier this month.

Wales is joined with fellow teenager David Watson in Scot Gemmill's set-up for their forthcoming Euros qualifiers, something McInnes is "absolutely delighted" about.

"It's magic," the Kilmarnock boss added. "We expected Davie but were hoping for Bobby. When I got the email, I messaged Davie because he was expecting it.

"But I wanted to phone Bobby. Honestly, I felt like Santa. He was absolutely over the moon.

"It's a strong 21s squad, so he's in good company. I think Davie was more buzzing for Bobby than he was for himself."

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Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes has been speaking to the media prior to his side's Conference League play-off second leg with Copenhagen.

Here are the key lines:

• Kilmarnock have still got a few injury concerns for Thursday, including captain Kyle Vassell and Fraser Murray.

• McInnes says he will "weigh up" risking players for such a "significant game".

• He adds that the team have the chance to "deliver one of the best results in the club's history".

• McInnes says Kilmarnock will "try and make it awful" for Copenhagen and are aiming to make Thursday "their biggest nightmare".

• To achieve that, the Ayrshire side will need to be "at full throttle" and have a "good mindset".

• McInnes takes confidence in the fact he feels Kilmarnock have delivered their "better performances" in Europe this season.

• The Rugby Park boss says his team "haven't helped" themselves in recent domestic games, but he admits he has "prioritised Europe because of the financial rewards" on offer.

• Kilmarnock, who need to claw back a two-goal deficit, must make sure they are "the team doing more attacking".

• He says Conference League qualification would change how his transfer deadline day looks on Friday.

• And McInnes adds that he "felt like Santa" when phoning Bobby Wales after the youngster was called up to Scotland's Under-21 squad for the first time.

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Kilmarnock goalkeeper Robby McCrorie could be in line for a Scotland debut next month after returning to Steve Clarke's squad.

The 26-year-old, who left Rangers to make the move to Ayrshire this summer, is back in the senior set-up for the first time since November 2023.

The former Under-21 international has featured in numerous squads but is yet to gain a cap for the first team.

Despite being named on the Kilmarnock bench in their past three games, McCrorie has played six times this season - almost as many matches as he played for Rangers in the space of nine years.

The keeper has been rewarded for that game time by being included in Clarke's squad, along with Hearts' Zander Clark and Angus Gunn of Norwich City.

Scotland face Poland and Portugal in a Nations League double-header next month.

Sandy Armour
Fan writer

I hated VAR long before it came to Scotland so it's no surprise that it has the ability to ruin European ties too.

Killie played well in Copenhagen and were fairly comfortable as the hosts got ever more frustrated.

Enter stage right the VAR intervention that was a laughable decision, although I wasn't chuckling.

Their second goal with the last kick of the game could be crucial and was a sickening blow, especially for the 700 diehards who made the trip to Denmark.

The league game at Aberdeen was one we could have done without so the final outcome of no points, no goals and another red card was unsurprising.

We need to shake off the knocks, dust ourselves down and prepare for what could be a historic night under the floodlights on Thursday.

The Danes may have been in the last 16 of the Champions League last season but they didn't look special in the home leg.

It's a massive ask for those Killie players but if we can grab the first goal of the game then we all might just start to dream.

Sandy Armour is editor of The Killie Hippo fanzine

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Derek McInnes says Kilmarnock will come out swinging as they look to overturn a two-goal deficit against Copenhagen on Thursday.

The Ayrshire side conceded twice in the final 14 minutes as they lost 2-0 in the Danish capital last week, but McInnes believes they can overturn the deficit at Rugby Park and reach the Conference League proper.

"I really want us to have a right go at it," he told Killie TV.

"We go to Copenhagen and it was more about our defensive work. We are up against a team with nine, 10 full internationalists in it, a team who have been playing in the Champions League.

"We were tested defensively and we were 14 minutes away from having one of the best results in the club's history.

"This time around we are at home and want to give the best version of us. We need the crowd to be with us and the players to feel that belief is there from them as well as ourselves.

"We are going to have to try and be far more attacking, throw far more punches than we did and hopefully we can make it go our way.

"The rewards are too big for us not to believe we can overturn this."

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We asked you for your views following Kilmarnock's defeat at Pittodrie.

Here's what you had to say:

Dougie: Didn't see game but saw the starting 11. Watson must be wondering what position he's going to play in next. With three strikers on the bench, why doesn't he play one of them with Watkins and put Armstrong and Kennedy where they should be? This Euro journey is beginning to affect McInnes with his selections...

Jim: We have major problems. A forward line that cannot score, a midfield that is totally inadequate, a defence that is constantly under pressure, two goalkeepers who are still trying to find their feet and a manager whose tactics are non-effective. Watkins is past his best, Anderson is useless and I still don't know what Donnelly does in the team.

Stephen: One win and only four goals in nine games this season. It’s hard to see where goals or wins are going to come from. We badly need some quality in the middle of the park and up front. We have too many players who do similar jobs and therefore lack ability to change games. We essentially re-signed last season’s squad instead of looking to improve it.

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FC Copenhagen head coach Jacob Neestrup was left disappointed by what he viewed as the latest in a string of poor performances as his side suffered a 3-2 defeat by Nordsjaelland before heading to Kilmarnock for Thursday's Europa Conference League play-off second leg.

The visitors were hit by three goals within the opening half hour and, despite finding the net twice in the second half, drop to fifth in the Danish Superliga, four points behind Silkeborg, after six games.

Copenhagen lost 1-0 to Banik Ostrava before winning the penalty shoot-out in the previous round of the Conference League, then were held 1-1 at home by Viborg before two late goals secured a first-leg advantage over Kilmarnock.

"We had a golden opportunity to go out there and correct the poor performances from our past few matches," Neestrup told his club website, saying his side were "too deflated" by the concession of the early goal.

"We didn't work together as a team. We only managed to pull ourselves together when it was too late."

Nordsjaelland struck after just three minutes as Peter Ankersen's cross to back post was headed in by Sindre Walle Egeli.

Two minutes later, Marcus Ingvartsen gathered an Egeli pass before volleying superbly under the crossbar from 18 yards.

Copenhagen were then caught on the break as Conrad Harder's low ball across the penalty box was hammered first time into top corner by Benjamin Nygren.

The visitors struck back nine minutes after the break as striker Orri Oskarsson took a through ball from former Celtic winger Mohamed Elyounoussi in his stride to fire low into far corner.

When midfielder Viktor Claesson rose to flick a header home from winger Robert's chipped cross, Copenhagen still had 12 minutes of normal time remaining to complete the fightback, but the home side held on to lift themselves level with the visitors on points.

Neestrup said it "created some tension at the end" but added: "I still don't think we had a proper grip on the game, even though our second half was better."