Livingston boss David Martindale plans changes before Premiership season starts

David Martindale will take steps to overcome the deficiencies he has identified at Livingston.

The Livi boss has not been enamoured by some costly slackness in his side both in pre-season games and in Saturday’s 3-2 opening Group G League Cup win over Albion Rovers in Coatbridge.

Ahead of the visit of Championship side Inverness on Tuesday night, Martindale told the PA news agency that he will move to sort it out before the cinch Premiership season begins.

He said: “I was fairly happy with Saturday but again it highlighted a couple of areas of the park that I probably need to reinforce.

“I said I was more than happy with the squad and I was.

“But we have given up four goals out of five that, from a coach and manager’s point of view, I would be doing the boys an injustice if I don’t try to rectify that.

“The Morton game (3-0 friendly defeat) was a bit of an eye opener in terms of focus and mentality and where I want the squad to be and where we need to be as a collective. I need to make the collective stronger.

“When four out of five goals lost have come from individual mistakes – and I am not trying to take it away from me – and probably not coming from a lack of coaching but a lack of focus and mentality, I have to rectify that.

“There’s two ways to do that. You either look for a replacement that will do their job better or I put the coaching hours in and I know between me and the staff that we have already put those coaching hours in.

“I do understand that it is early doors in the season but we have Rangers in the league in three weeks’ time and we have to hit the ground running.

“If no one comes in and no one goes out, I think I have more than enough in this building to have a successful season but, in an ideal world, in my head, we probably need to bring one or two in and move one or two on.”

On a busy Tuesday night, St Johnstone get their Group F campaign up and running with a home game against Annan Athletic, who beat Queen of the South 3-2 in their opener.

In Group D, Hibernian, who beat Clyde 5-0 on Saturday, travel to Falkirk and new Hibs boss Lee Johnson is set to make a few changes to his side.

Following their 3-0 defeat by Dundee at Dens Park on Saturday, Hamilton boss John Rankin is looking to make amends at home to Stranraer.

Speaking on Hamilton’s YouTube channel, he said: “We can’t feel sorry for ourselves. That’s done, we can’t affect that, albeit it wasn’t good enough.

“I’m sure we will bounce back on Tuesday night and be ready to go and play and ready to put it right.

“We have put four or five weeks of hard work in and one defeat can’t knock your confidence. We will be looking to go and implement our style.”

Elsewhere, Airdrieonians welcome FC Edinburgh, Albion Rovers take on Cove Rangers and East Fife travel to Alloa Athletic.

Ayr United take on Queen of the South, Dunfermline welcome Buckie Thistle, Fraserburgh host Montrose and Queen’s Park face Forfar Athletic.