Jeremy Bokila. He’s big (1.88m, that’s 6ft 2in in old money), he’s physical, he loves a challenge and he scored a stunning goal on his debut for Livingston in their narrow but welcome victory over Falkirk in their first home game back in the William Hill Premiership.
The 36-year-old, much-travelled, striker, who has played in Belgium, Turkey, Russia, Romania and the USA, has a wealth of experience which Livi boss David Martindale hopes to tap into.
He came off the bench late in the second-half, 67 minutes to be precise, of the 3-1 win over The Bairns with the scoreline tight at 2-1 and, within minutes, he was celebrating. Christian Montano, a second-half substitute who was back in the squad after injury, sent a peach of a pass down the left wing.
Bokila, capped on 20 occasions for the DR Congo National team, scoring six goals, found himself, surprisingly, on his own admission, in acres of space. He closed in on goal and lashed the ball home from an angle. Time: 88 minutes. Joy on the terraces. Three points in the bag.
The player was in the spotlight again post-match, meeting the Scottish media pack for the first time, and he’s enjoying life at the West Lothian-based club.
He was attracted by the discipline of the players and the manager and made the switch to Scotland from Dutch combine, Willem II, where he played 94 games, scoring on 22 occasions, after joining The Lions during their pre-season camp in The Netherlands.
Bokila was also booked v Falkirk, welcome to Scottish football, but he declared: “I enjoyed it. The whole team was ready for this game and I am proud of the work we had to do as we knew how important it was.”
He was hoping for one chance. He did not think too much as he closed in on goal, and the striker expected the Falkirk goalkeeper, Scott Bain, to come out, but he dispatched the ball into the rigging, Bain having no chance with the ferocity of the shot, and the player added: “I am happy with my first goal for Livingston.
“I like a challenge because I have been travelling a lot. When I got this opportunity I thought: ‘why not’. This is what I have been doing for 18/19 years and I am still playing at the highest level so I did not think too much about it.
“The level is good, the way they train here, is totally different so I had a good conversation with the gaffer (Martindale), and I had to change my way of playing. I am still processing that as it is not easy to change, but I am doing my best.”
He felt the game against Falkirk was intense as both teams desperately wanted the win, and he was also aware of how many times the clubs had played each other last season. He added: “I was ready to help the team.”
Livingston, he said, prepared well to face Falkirk, receiving instructions on the weak spots, how they could attack, and he is determined to help the club, not just to survive, but to show the Scottish sporting public that Livingston can play football.
He added: “Physically you need to be ready to play 90 minutes. It is a physical league, and I am happy to get minutes to get used to the game, to get used to the league, and I am impressed with all my team-mates, discipline, the way they work.
“I had a chance to see them (his team mates) pre-season (in the training camp in Holland), the discipline, the way of doing what the manager is asking, OK I want to be part of this too. The discipline is very good here.”
Finally, he addressed the newly-laid synthetic pitch at The Home of the Set Fare Arena. Bokila confirmed he had not played on a non-grass pitch before and conceded: “It is different.
“When I came here I thought it was going to be a difficult moment for me. The ball was moving different, everything is different. Your body has to adapt and, after training, you would be a little bit sore here and there, but you will get used to it.”
The Livi fans hope he does and that the affable forward finds the net regularly. Next up are Hibs in the quarter-final of the Premier Sports Cup on Sunday (15.00).
Whisper it. Livingston played Hibs in the final of the 57th Scottish League Cup on March 14, 2004, and Derek Lilley and Jamie McAllister scored in a 2-0 victory at Hampden Park watched by a crowd of 45,000.
TUNNEL VISION: How the players see the pitch as they enter the Home of the Set Fare Arena. Picture Nigel Duncan
