Shiels defends `honest' responses

Kilmarnock manager Kenny Shiels has been stung by the reaction to his "honest account" of recent matches.

The Northern Irishman took stick in some quarters of the media for criticising the negative tactics of Ayrshire rivals Ayr United after Killie had eventually overcome the Irn-Bru First Division side 1-0 in the semi-final of the Scottish Communities League Cup final at Hampden.

After losing 1-0 in the William Hill Scottish Cup fifth-round to Hibernian at Easter Road on Saturday, Shiels claimed that time-wasting by Hibs keeper Graham Stack wrecked Kilmarnock's hopes of a cup double, which again brought criticism. The Killie boss claims his honesty has backfired on him to the extent that he sees it as a "fault" rather than a virtue.

"I give an honest accurate account of how I see a football game and when I am asked questions I always give an honest answer," he told Press Association Sport, ahead of Tuesday's trip to Dunfermline in the SPL.

"I don't like being evasive. I have to give a clear picture. But I see that as a fault in myself because I am getting slaughtered. I was slaughtered for what I said about Ayr, which is 100% true, I got slaughtered for what I said on Saturday. It hurts when they do things like that

"I shouldn't take that personally but all I am doing is giving an honest account of how the game went and sometimes you have to talk about time-wasting if it is there and it has a major impact. And what I said was true, and people have to understand this."