Dykes takes great delight in roughing up ‘timid’ £7m man

LYNDON DYKES says that being mentioned as a tough opponent by Christopher Jullien is a massive compliment, and admits that he has tried to rough up the “timid” Frenchman when they are up against one another.

Dykes offered Jullien another torrid 90 minutes on Wednesday night after giving the £7m man a bruising introduction to Scottish football in Livi’s 2-0 win over Celtic back in October.

Jullien apologised to the Celtic fans after that game for being “too nervous”, but that admission was music to the ears of Dykes.

“I heard he said that,” Dykes said. “I don’t know what it is. Maybe he was a bit timid and a few times I got in behind him, and he was a bit nervous.

“It’s a big compliment to me because he’s a £7m defender saying something like that about me.

“He’s a great player.

I just went out to do my best and show him he wasn’t going to get an easy time of it.

“I just go out like it’s another person and do my best. I think that’s twice now I’ve ruffled him up a bit and he hasn’t liked it. So that’s pleasing.”

Australia assistant manager Rene Meulensteen was in attendance at the Tony Macaroni Arena during the week to run the rule over Dykes, but the forward is still unsure whether his allegiance will lie with the Socceroos or with Scotland.

“I’m not quite sure,” he said. “It’s so hard. Whoever wants to come and speak to me then I am obviously open to speaking to them both and seeing what happens.

“But I am only thinking about a top six finish for Livingston and anything above that is a bonus.

“International squads are announced in two weeks I think and obviously I would love something to happen. It would be a dream to play internationally.”