Kilmarnock turn to Kris Doolan as caretaker after Kettlewell exit
Caretaker Kris Doolan prepares for a first-game test against Falkirk as the club weighs a longer-term appointment amid a flurry of managerial speculation
Kilmarnock have appointed Kris Doolan as caretaker manager for their next match against Falkirk after Stuart Kettlewell was dismissed on Monday following six months in charge. The move comes as the Ayrshire club seeks to steady a season that has lurched off course, with Kilmarnock sitting near the bottom of the Premiership and winless since early October. They have collected just two points from their last 10 league games.
Doolan, 39, is stepping into a familiar role. The former Partick Thistle striker had been head of youth development at Rugby Park when he was asked to lead the first team as a caretaker in the past, and in 2023 he returned to Thistle to take interim charge before being named permanent successor and guiding them to promotion playoff contention during a two-year spell. He will take charge for the home game with Falkirk, with the club weighing longer-term options while insisting the immediate aim is stability. Bookmakers have Doolan high in the betting for the permanent post, alongside Steven Naismith, Peter Leven and David Martindale.
Club insiders caution that caretaker appointments can quickly alter the narrative if results turn favorable, but judging a manager on long-term potential requires a rigorous process. In the past, Kilmarnock have handed the job to temporary bosses who ultimately failed to sustain success; Gary Locke, Lee McCulloch and Alex Dyer each served as interim figures before their longer-term trajectories dissolved. If Doolan is the man for the job, supporters will hope the club’s board conducts a thorough appraisal rather than basing decisions on a short, high-profile run.
Looking ahead, Kilmarnock’s fixture list offers a mix of tests: after Falkirk they face St Mirren and Dundee, followed by Hibernian, Livingston and Dundee again. A positive start could help Doolan build momentum and keep him in the frame for a longer spell, but a handful of results will not alone decide the club’s future. For now, the emphasis remains on stability, with Doolan himself reiterating that his focus is on the next game and not on long-term ambitions.