Arbroath ace Michael McKenna has given a frank assessment of his side’s start to the Championship season, branding the Lichties showing as “not acceptable”.
The 31-year-old was last season’s PFA and SPFL Championship Player of the Year as the Gayfield side grabbed the limelight with their remarkable campaign.
This time around Arbroath and McKenna’s seasons haven’t quite sparked into life.
The Lichties are joint-bottom of the league, with just two league wins. McKenna, an electrician outside of football, hasn’t lit up the second tier this time around either with injury hampering his season.
McKenna played through pain
The midfielder has still featured in 10 of his side’s 12 league games, but has revealed he’s played through the pain.
Something he feels has affected his performances.
“I’ve been very lucky in my career; I’ve never been injured much,” McKenna told Courier Sport.
“I came back at the start of the season and had pains in my knees every time I bent down.
“The physio told me it doesn’t get worse by playing with it, but I just need to keep doing exercises.
“At the start I tried to play through it. I wouldn’t say it made it worse but I could still feel it, which was hindering my performances and my running.
“My knees have got a bit better thanks to the exercises. But then I pulled a thigh muscle in training, which I’ve ever done in my life. Maybe I’m getting old!
“With that one, I tried to rush back and at Cove I was only meant to be on the bench to make up the numbers.
“Because of the poor performance, they put me on after 65 minutes. I took a corner and it went again but I couldn’t come off.
“That put me back another week or two but has now cleared up. I need maybe another two matches to get back to full fitness.”
Lack of ‘continuity’
The midfield talisman believes injury has been an issue the whole team has had to deal with.
Issues throughout the squad, coupled with suspensions, has meant Dick Campbell has not been able to field the same starting XI for two games in a row.
McKenna believes that’s been a main factor in the team’s performance overall.
“We have been a bit unlucky with injuries.” he said.
“Or you could say we were really lucky not to get injuries last year.
“That has played a part in our dip in form.
“We haven’t had any rhythm; it has been so stop-start. I don’t think the team has been the same two weeks in a row. There has been no continuity.
“Arbroath’s success has been through the continuity over the years. We’ve not had a big turnaround of players since I’ve been there.
“We haven’t been good this season, but if you look at the cup games against part-time opposition, we have been streets ahead of them.
“We’ve set standards at Arbroath and we’re trying to maintain that.”
Arbroath showing ‘not acceptable’
Despite their position and the nature of the Championship, the Lichties are still within touching distance of mid-table.
And McKenna believes putting a run of results together is just what they need to kick start their season.
“It’s going to be massive to put two or three wins together,” he said. “That will take the pressure off.
“If everyone can get on the same page, get back to basics a bit and working for each other – if the fans see that they will be happy.
“There have been a couple of games, and I agree with them, where it looks disjointed and that’s nothing like Arbroath.
“The manager has told us that as well. That’s not acceptable.
“Even going back to playing against Arbroath I always thought they were solid to play against and a strong unit, the fans included.
“We have to get back to doing that again.”
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