IT’S TIME FOR MILLER
Kenny in at Livvy
KENNY MILLER kept an avalanche of advice at arm’s length before launching himself into the deep end and making the first post of his managerial career a daunting Premiership survival scrap with Livingston. The former Rangers and Scotland striker admitted the vast majority of opinion he sought cautioned him against trying to juggle playing commitments with being a boss.
However, securing a top-flight challenge to make a long-held ambition come true at the age of 38 outweighed the concerns.
And with trademark confidence and positivity, Miller spoke glowingly of his first training session with last season’s shock troops yesterday as he revealed he has no fears about being a rookie boss taking over the team that are huge favourites to sink straight back into the second tier.
With Aberdeen and St Mirren dangling contracts that would have allowed him to concentrate on playing through his 39th birthday in December, there was an easier life on offer that made Livingston patiently wait until Friday for an affirmative response.
The veteran forward, who accepted a two-year contract, said: ‘Everyone tries to put you off it when you speak to them — that’s the problem! That you can’t do both roles. There’s an existing structure here that is going to aid me and make the transition a bit smoother.
‘There are going to be bumps along the road, there’s no doubt about it. Until you make the leap, it’s a step into the unknown. I will learn in the job. In a month or two I’ll be more familiar with what is required and what the job entails.
‘It was obviously a big decision in regards to making that step. The chance to keep playing was huge but so was the opportunity to make this move into management which, as you all know, is what I was always going to do at some point.
‘It’s maybe come sooner than I expected but it’s a great opportunity to come to a club that’s on the up, that’s had some fantastic success over the last couple of seasons.
‘I’ll be honest, playing only for another year was attractive. And it’s something I was going back and forwards on. When you do it for 22 years, you wake up in the morning, come to training, you’re told what to do, you do the session, you get changed, you go home.
‘You’re a soldier. Now you have to make that step with a staff. It’s a big step. It was all part of the scary aspect of making the step.
‘But I’ve not jumped into it lightly, I’ve spoken to a lot of people. Most of them telling me I can’t do it! I didn’t make the decision based on proving them wrong but for every 25 saying I couldn’t, there was maybe one saying I could.
‘It’s the next stage of football, isn’t it? I’ve always seen myself as a manager. This is the opportunity to take that first step. To come to a club in the Premiership for my first manager’s job was huge.
‘Still being able to play and help the lads was a big part of the decision. It was great to get out there this morning playing football in our training session. In a managerial sense, I really enjoyed what I saw. I may be on the field more often than not, hopefully.’
David Hopkin left after leading Livvy to a stunning promotion campaign via the play-offs. They were widely tipped to go straight back to League One last term but a direct and ferociously competitive approach shocked their league rivals and, ultimately, wasn’t handled by Partick Thistle in May’s final.
Miller’s studies of those games and his first glance of what Hopkin gifted him left the former Scotland striker convinced that wholesale changes will not be happening.
‘It doesn’t need an overhaul,’ he stated. ‘After watching and taking part in training, it’s evident there are some good players here with a great attitude and work ethic. It’s up to me to harness that and make it better as well, maybe bring a few additions in who’ll push certain lads on or improve the starting XI. I’m not going to be standing still, I want to be moving forward.
‘This dressing room we’ve got has been huge. It’s a fantastic environment, they’ve worked really hard in the last few years to create that. They’re a great group of boys who are all in there fighting for each other. If you’ve got that, it can take you a long, long way.’
Miller’s competitive bow will be a Betfred Cup group-stage tie at Airdrieonians in a fortnight.
But the red letter occasion is marked down as Celtic’s flag day on Saturday, August 4 when Miller takes the Premiership new boys to Parkhead, where he played for a year under Gordon Strachan in between his multiple Rangers stints.
‘I’m sure I will get a colourful reception that day,’ grinned Miller, who will seek to make a backroom staff addition in the coming days. ‘But, again, what an opportunity, going to Parkhead on the opening day of the season.
‘What player wouldn’t want to go and play in that? Will I be the first name on the teamsheet? There’s a lot to happen between now and then but I would imagine I will be high on the list of options that day!’
The first clash against Rangers is scheduled for Saturday, September 29 in West Lothian and looks sure to be switched for live television purposes as Miller goes up against the club he left in acrimonious circumstances last month.
‘I would like to think I’d get a decent reception (from Rangers fans),’ he said. ‘I had a lot of good years at the club.
‘I never had the opportunity to acknowledge that at the end of the season. That was taken away.
‘Listen, it is what it is. If the fans choose to give me a good reception, great. If not, then I will be focused on one thing that day anyway.’