Killie boss Derek McInnes aiming to end successful season with Dundee win

Derek McInnes insists it will not be “shorts and sandals” time when Kilmarnock visit Dundee on Saturday in their final game of a successful cinch Premiership campaign.

Killie are assured of finishing fourth and have qualified for Europe next season, achievements which helped McInnes win the Scottish Premiership Glen’s manager of the season award.

The Kilmarnock boss will now give opportunities to those players who have not featured as often as they would have liked and “not done a lot wrong to be out the team” on the trip to Tayside.

However, that does not mean Killie will be taking it easy and McInnes is banking on natural competitiveness to try to end the season with a win against Tony Docherty’s Dundee, who will finish sixth in their first season back in the top flight.

McInnes, who thanked the efforts of those around him for his individual accolade, said: “Our job has been done, we have finished exactly where we hoped for, exceeded expectations.

“The reward of European football is magnificent.

“The fans have been so appreciative of the players, as I am.

“But tomorrow, once the ball rolls, that competitiveness that is in you, you still want to win the game.

“So we are not going up there with our shorts and sandals on. We are there to try to win the game of football.

“But it is a chance to relax, there is nothing on the game for both teams really.

“Dundee have done their work getting into the top six but knowing Tony, they will want to win the game as will we, once the ball rolls.”

Killie’s loan defender Corrie Ndaba helped the Rugby Park outfit into Europe, while parent club Ipswich reached the Premier League after back-to-back promotions.

The 24-year-old Irishman, who has a year left on his Ipswich contract, has to wait to see what the future holds.

He said: “It has been a good season for both clubs. Obviously I have been here so have been focusing on that and happy to secure fourth place.

“To do double promotion at Ipswich – I have never seen that – it is incredible.

“There is no plan at the minute. We were just focusing on this season, getting over the line, getting into Europe and there is obviously conversations to be had in the summer.

“Nothing has been spoken about. There will be conversations with Ipswich and Kilmarnock in the summer and we will see what happens. I am just focusing on Saturday and we will see where we go from there.”