David Martindale can’t wait to get a close up look at his heroes on Saturday when the SPFL Premiership opens with last season’s runners-up visiting Livingston.
The Lions boss doesn’t need much prompting when it comes to talking up anything Ibrox related.
Martindale, who previously served a prison sentence for drug dealing, was a huge admirer of Steven Gerrard but despite losing the title last season his affection for Giovanni van Bronckhorst seems to have taken things to a new level.
Despite selling Joe Aribo and Calvin Bassey from last season’s squad and starting the season without Alfredo Morelos, Kemar Roofe and Filip Helander the Livi boss sounded like a star-struck fan as he looked ahead to Saturday’s match.
Speaking to the Daily Record, Martindale said:
I was at the Rangers game on Tuesday night and they were phenomenal, honestly. I think it’s going to be a cracking title race this year. Rangers as a club have kicked on massively.
Since Gio has come in, he has made them better and they have kicked on, brought a lot of revenue into the club, commercially and from player sales, and I think they have used that very, very wisely. So we are going to be facing a different animal this time round.
They have a Champions League qualifier on the Tuesday so everyone that sets foot on the park on the Saturday is going to be vying for a place in a huge, huge game for Rangers. That will be an added bonus and impetus for the Rangers. We can only look at ourselves and how we are going to approach the game but it’s going to be a really, really difficult game, if I’m honest.
Martindale was speaking after Livingston beat Kelty Hearts 2-0 to earn a League Cup second round tie at home to Dundee United.
Everyone, Anyone welcomed into the Scottish football family.https://t.co/hmP79JxN49
— Joe McHugh (@videocelts) July 25, 2022
Martindale is living proof the SFA have no concept of what a “fit and proper person” is….
If he was manager at my club I would want him out the door for his lavish praise and obvious love for a direct opponent.
The way he gushes over them is utterly embarrassing, even more so because he is a manager of another Spfl team.
He should be talking up his own teams chances instead of telling his squad its gonna be really really hard…..ffs what a clown.
I would give Martindale the benefit, if he had changed his outlook and was aware of the wrong he had done. If he was willing to stand up for what he believed in. But he is obviously just a sycophant, bowing and showing favour to a stronger adversary. Pure Cac Bui!