91Èȱ¬

Interim manager Gary Locke hopes to land the Kilmarnock job permanently before Motherwell visit on Saturday.

The former Hearts boss has lost just one game since replacing Allan Johnston in early February.

And, last week, new chairman Jim Mann said Locke was in "prime position to be a contender" for the position.

"The board have kept me in the loop and my agent is in talks, so hopefully I'll get my future sorted out by the end of the week," Locke told 91Èȱ¬ Scotland.

"These things always take time and the club has had a lot of applicants for the post."

Locke, who spent seven years as a player at Rugby Park, arrived as Johnston's assistant at the start of the season.

"I love it here and it's certainly a club I believe is on the up," he added.

"I know about the plans behind the scenes, which Jim and [director] Billy Bowie are involved in. They are trying to move the club in the right direction."

Locke was tight-lipped on speculation linking Kris Boyd with a return to the club for a third spell.

The striker scored 22 goals for Killie last season but has struggled for form since moving on to Rangers.

"It would be wrong of me to comment on any players at other clubs," said Locke. "The main thing for me is to get my own future sorted out then everything else will take care of itself.

"I'm looking at players all the time but it's hard because we'll be competing with other clubs for the same faces.

"Ask any manager, they want to work with people they trust.

"But I'm well aware the club is still in a precarious situation financially, so we know it's going to be a rigid budget."