Kilmarnock winger Chris Burke believes that Alex Burke has restored the confidence of the Rugby Park side and has them looking a lot like the team who finished third last term under Steve Clarke.

Dyer assumed the Kilmarnock role in December after Angelo Alessio’s 22-game tenure was brought to an end. It followed a run in which the Ayshire side had taken just one win in their previous eight games and had gone four games without a victory.

Kilmarnock lost at the weekend to Hibs – a last minute penalty call might well have changed that – but having taken 9 points from a possible 12 in their last four games Burke believes they are far more recognisable to the team who won so many plaudits under Clarke. “He is great [the manager],” said Burke. “He is calming, efficient, effective. He makes you believe in your ability and he is tactically aware. He has everything that a top coach and manager can have. I think he is relished the opportunity because it is his first time being a manager and not an assistant.

“We know when we are not performing. He will tell you that. But in any walk of life it is about how you tell someone and get the best out of them. That is what he does. He gets the best out of each and every individual.”

Despite Sunday’s set-back, Burke believes that since the winter break Kilmarnock are showcasing the form that took them into a third place finish under Steve Clarke last term.

“We are a team who looked like the way we played last season,” said the experienced winger. “Everyone knows their role and their jobs and that is credit to the coaching staff and the manager. It is about doing the simple things well. This group have achieved great things in terms of being in the top six over the last two seasons and we are still trying to achieve that.”

Kilmarnock host Aberdeen tomorrow night in the Scottish Cup fifth round replay with Burke looking for an immediate response to the defeat to Hibs.

“We have to dust ourselves down and look forward to the game tomorrow night against,” he said. “It is a massive opportunity for us as a club to get into a quarter-final.”