Killie 'so invested' in Lyons cap debut

Brad Lyons’ first Northern Ireland cap was a deserved reward for his perseverance in transforming his Kilmarnock fortunes, says manager Derek McInnes.

The 26-year-old made his international debut in the 1-0 defeat by Slovenia on Tuesday night after being an ever-present in the Killie midfield this season, having won his place in the team towards the end of last term.

“We are all so invested in that, we were all so keen to see him come back with a cap and play his part,” said McInnes.

"It just shows you in football the rewards for perseverance, determination and professionalism. A more popular boy, I don't think we have worked with.

"It's my job as manager to try and push and encourage all my players and you always want that reward for them.

"Brad deserves all the credit. This is us doing our job, he has done his job particularly well. The best part about Brad is a few months ago, if someone had said that to him he would have thought it was such a long way off.

"It's a reminder to everybody that whether you are in or out the team, if you apply yourself properly and have that confidence and belief, the rewards are there for you. It's great to see that recognised."

Speaking before Saturday's visit of Livingston, McInnes added: "We have managed to get a few boys back [during the international break] like Liam Donnelly, Rory McKenzie, Marley Watkins – important players for us."