GAFFER Jim Jefferies is set to show two more Killie squad members the door while he tries to set up loan deals for a number of English Premiership players.
Paul Di Giacomo, who scored a couple of goals in the latter part of last season and who has been at the club for 10 years, seems set for pastures new.
And so does fellow striker Gary Wales, signed in 2004, but who has failed to hold down a place in the starting line-up since being signed on a free transfer by Jefferies.
The manager said this week: “Both players are available to move on, neither having met the criteria in relation to appearances to kick in another year’s contract.
“Paul had a loan spell at Partick Thistle, but didn’t play regularly. But we brought him back and he scored a couple of goals.
“He’s going to look at all his options and see what comes up, but I know that there are two or three clubs trying to get a hold of him.”
Di Giacomo, who turns 26 later this month, made more than 100 appearances for the club, but he has never fully recovered from a bad injury picked up a few seasons ago.
Wales, 29, also played for Killie more than 100 times, and will probably find it relatively easy to get fixed up with a club in the lower divisions.
The wages freed up by their departure will enable Jefferies to go after a couple of replacements, with the manager probably opting for loan options rather than permanent signings.
“I’m in touch with a couple of clubs in the English Premiership,” he said, “and spoken to them about players who they don’t want to lose but who might benefit from regular football in the SPL.
“They’ve promised me when their players return for pre-season training they’ll have a look at the situation and then let us know.”
Jefferies remains hopeful that Moroccan midfielder Mehdi Taouil will be at Rugby Park next season, even although the re-signing saga has been dragging on for a few weeks now.
“Things on that front are looking okay and I’ll be speaking to the player and his agent at the end of this week to make sure that they’re happy with everything.
“Then it will be a case of having Mehdi in sometime early next week to get things tied up.”
The uncertainty over Abdul Osman’s move to Killie from the now defunct Gretna continues, with the odds beginning to stack up against the player being a Killie man next season.
“There’s no doubt we have hit a snag following the medical,” explained Jefferies.
“The advice from the medical people is that the player’s back injury could recur, but we’ll have another chat with the surgeons. Things are still ongoing, but I would say that it’s unlikely to go ahead.”
On a more positive note, Osman’s former Gretna team mate Gavin Skelton has penned a two-year deal, while David Fernandez has accepted the offer of a one-year contract, with the option of a further year provided he makes a certain number of appearances.
And there’s mixed news about Killie’s ‘gang of six’ injured players — Frazer Wright, Willie Gibson, Craig Bryson, Alan Morgan, Tim Clancy and Rhian Dodds.
Wright (ankle), Gibson, Morgan and Bryson (all hernia problems) should all be fit to commence pre-season training in a few weeks time.
But the news surrounding Tim Clancy and Rhian Dodds isn’t so good.
Clancy, who was stretchered off after 16 minutes of the game against Gretna on April 26, is still on crutches.
And speaking about Dodds, his manager said: “Rhian has signed a new contract until the end of this year and we expect him to make a full recovery from his hernia problems.
“He came back too quickly after his initial operation and had to have it done again.”
l THE SPL fixtures for season 2008-9 will be announced next Monday.
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