Bartley says new Livi boss is keeping quiet
Marvin Bartley is adamant Livingston boss David Martindale is getting his message across loud and clear – by finally learning to lower his voice.
Martindale has been a revelation since taking the reins from Gary Holt, guiding the Lions to seven successive victories to land the role on a permanent basis – pending Scottish FA approval – in light of his well-publicised criminal past.
Martindale has been at Livingston since 2014, initially shadowing John Mcglynn. He started this season as both head of football operations and assistant manager to Holt.
However, as Livi seek their eighth win on the bounce against Ross County today, Bartley admits he has seen a slight change in Martindale’s demeanour.
The Livingston captain said: “I actually think Davie has been a lot quieter since actually becoming the manager.
“That’s good news for everybody, because my ears were beginning to bleed!
“He has calmed down, and is taking a lot more in. “But his impact has still been huge because he has come in and won every game.
“Liam Fox has also come in as a coach, and given us something different, so it’s been brilliant.”
Bartley also reckons a sense of loyalty to Martindale could be a factor in their upturn in fortunes.
He said: “Davie had the role before as head of football operations, and was in charge of signing a lot of us.
“So maybe a few of the boys squeezed an extra 1% out, thinking, ‘ This is the guy who signed us, and his neck is on the line’.”
While lauding Martindale, Bartley is keen to leap to the defence of departed boss Holt.
The midfielder is aware the turnaround once Holt left the club may have raised eyebrows, and is desperate to quash talk of his old boss making mistakes.
Holt guided Livi to a fifth-placed finish last term, their highest league finish since qualifying for Europe in 2002 but could not get a tune out of his side this campaign.
And Bartley added: “People start to think: ‘ Was he doing something so wrong?’
“Well, he wasn’t. I need to put that out there. He just wasn’t.
“Sometimes in football you can’t put your finger on why momentum changes.
“If you could, you’d be managing Barcelona.”