Hegarty glad to take reins

Dec 11 2008 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

MOTHER Nature’s icy blast robbed Paul Hegarty of a Livingston dug-out debut last weekend but the new Lions boss was grateful for an extra few days to get to know his squad.

Hegarty was a surprise choice by the Livingston board to replace the departed Roberto Landi, but he insists he possesses all the tools necessary to steady the Almondvale ship and steer them towards the SPL.

“I was desperate to get back into football and the chance to manage a club like Livingston doesn’t come along often, so I’m delighted,” he admitted.

“Managers are judged on results, so I can only hope we can get off to a good start because the league table is very tight.

“It was quite a shock to get the call from Livingston as I’d been out of football for quite a long time.

“But I have been here before, so I knew it was a great club with great people.

“I was fortunate to be part of the backroom staff when Livingston won the CIS Cup in 2004 alongside Davie Hay, Allan Preston, Billy Kirkwood.

“This club had some memorable games in the SPL and we all want to be back there.”

The former Dundee United and Aberdeen boss is sure Livingston can rediscover their form and he points to the start of the current campaign as proof of their capabilities.

“The previous manager did ever so well and took the club to the top of the league for a number of weeks.

“But when you get a couple of defeats it is then that you are looking for a response from your players.

“Unfortunately it didn’t come and you have to feel for Roberto Landi in that respect.

“But it is important these players now respond and react and get back to winning ways.

“Roberto did have them in a winning mentality but there has been a few hiccups recently.

“I think promotion has got to be our aim. You can see the league is very tight. Two wins could take us up into second place and that is both my aim and the players’ aim.”

Only skipper James McPake remains from Hegarty’s first spell in West Lothian when he was part of the backroom staff under Davie Hay but he also knows a handful of other players from other clubs.

“I know four or five players here already. I knew our captain, James McPake from when I was here the first time and some of the others I know from my spells at Hearts and Dunfermline.”

Hegarty was officially confirmed and unveiled as Livi boss on Friday and it took only one training session to convince him that the good times are just around the corner for the West Lothian club.

“Initially, I wondered how we’d fare against Dundee after I had been in the job for just 24 hours, but after just one training session I was desperate for the game to go ahead.

“The players showed me so much enthusiasm, desire to play and will to win that I was really looking forward to it.

“We’ve had a few bad results recently but that’s part and parcel of football.

“It’s my job to try and get back to that winning formula, which was here at the start of the season under the previous manager.

“Football is all about confidence and all it takes is one or two wins to turn things around and get you buoyed for the next game.

“It’s important for the players to remember what they were doing at the start of the season and if they can take that back into their game we’ll be okay.”

Livingston are widely recognised as having one of the smallest squads in the league in terms of senior player numbers and Hegarty has admitted he is hopeful of bringing in some new faces in January.

He added: “We’d like to bring some players into the club in the next transfer window.

“I have two or three players in mind but whether I can get them is another thing.”