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Derek McInnes confirms Kevin van Veen Kilmarnock exit and claps back at style critics

Derek McInnes has clapped back at Kilmarnock's critics and dismissed the notion that his side are simply a physical team.

The Killie boss has always been frustrated at suggestions that they don't turn on the style and insists he has one of the more exciting outfits in the division who often play attacking football and try to get after it. Killie have beaten both sides of the Old Firm this season with Del nominated for PFA Manager of the Year and the Greenock Morton Hall of Fame inductee believes his side don't get the style credit they deserve. And it bothers him.

"It jars me sometimes when people say they couldn’t deal with our physicality after a win," he said. "People will say Kilmarnock are good at what they do. That kind of suggests to me that we are just a wee bit basic. I don’t see any other team committing to two wingers and two strikers. Whether it’s a back three or a back four, that’s been consistent.

“We probably can’t afford a 20-goal striker, other clubs have had the benefit of that. It’s too easy to suggest we’re just a physical team.

“We are an exciting team to watch, and that’s reflected in the season ticket sales for next season. We’re tapping into the younger generation and it’s so important to do that.”

Killie's summer transfer business will have to be thorough with European football secured but McInnes knows there will be changes afoot. That includes Kevin van Veen who won't be sticking around.

“We signed Kevin and it was for 18 weeks on a level of money we normally can’t go to. We don’t have the ability to go to that level for a player. We were supported by the board in the window because we felt we needed other options.

“The form of Marley and Vass has been significant and Kevin recognises that too. He’s not been unhappy or upset at not making more of a contribution. He recognises they are two boys who have been hard to shift.

“We are going to need another keeper, we’re probably looking for a bit more pace up top for a different option.

“But there’s not much really. Europe changes it, if we get through the qualifiers and into the group stages we’d need to look at bolstering numbers.

“For the here and now, the majority of the squad are under contract and I’ve already spoken to the players I’d like to keep. I’ve also spoken to the players who will probably need to look elsewhere. “I want to enjoy my holiday. Sometimes it doesn’t feel like a holiday, you’re just working in better weather.

“Last year was pretty stressful in terms of what we had to do, I don’t think there will be the same levels of stress this year.

“That said, you still want to get the players you like. When we first came in we had a squad built to win the Championship. We didn’t really have value to it.

“Now we do. Watson, Armstrong, Matty Kennedy and Lewis Mayo. We’ve had some top performers this season.

“It would be good if we can continue attracting players who can help us in the here and now and also continue to add value to the overall squad.”