Ryan McGowan comes back into contention for a place in the Livingston side for the visit of Celtic on Saturday (15.00).
The Lions boss David Martindale felt the experienced Aussie was a big miss as his men skidded to a narrow 1-0 defeat at St Mirren last Saturday.
The club captain was suspended after his red card in the 2-2 draw with Dundee at The Home of the Set Fare Arena, and added: “Obviously, Ryan will be available now and he was a big loss on Saturday, to be honest.
“It was nice to get him back (after injury) and then the suspension. Ryan has been more of a loss the more the season has gone on but everybody came through (without injury) at St Mirren.”
Looking back at the Paisley clash, Martindale felt his men were not “great in the game” and he praised Buddies boss, Stephen Robinson, for what he has achieved with the club.
Martindale added: “He has done an incredible job there, they are really good in what they do and they can also play. They have good threats and they have a bit of everything. They can go long, they are physical and they are good at set plays. They are good at a lot of aspects of the modern game.”
Casting his mind towards the visit of the champions, Martindale said they have a “plethora” of players who can damage teams. The Hoops have, he added, got some really good players, but losing a cup final (the Premier Sports Cup to St Mirren) is going to have an adverse effect on that group.
Celtic have, he argued, got that (cup final) result out of their system with the victory over Aberdeen at Parkhead on Sunday in the William Hill Premiership.
What’s more, said Martindale, they Parkhead club have spent in the transfer market.
Celtic FC, he added, were “a massive institution” and they have top players at that football club who know how to win trophies, international players. They have, said the Livi boss, gone through a period of adversity and, unfortunately, that came in as the new manager, Wilfried Nancy, was taking over.
Martindale said: “Wilfried (Nancy) comes in and has a rocky start, and I am not buying into this narrative of poor Celtic.
“There is also going to be that adaptation period. The longer he is going to be in the club the stronger they are going to get.
“Then, you have a change of shape, and that makes it a little difficult again, but, if you are a coach and you have a certain style of play, why would you wait to implement it? The quicker you implement it the better you get at it.”
Martindale said some of the comments he has seen on social media about the new Celtic boss, and some of the comments he has heard on television, “have been extreme, disappointing” but he sad: “Modern day game, I am not really surprised at them.
“When you take over clubs like Rangers and Celtic the jobs are heavily scrutinised, more than ever before.”
MEDIA WITH MCGOWAN: The Livingston captain speaking to the press in the Media Room at The Home of the Set Fare Arena. Picture Nigel Duncan
