Tuesday, March 19, 2024
SportScottish ChampionshipLivingston striker Liam Buchanan insists players are responding to caretaker manager David...

Livingston striker Liam Buchanan insists players are responding to caretaker manager David Hopkin

BY DARREN JOHNSTONE @CCP_Sport

Livingston striker Liam Buchanan insists the appointment of David Hopkin as full-time manager would be a popular one among the squad.

Former Scotland internationalist Hopkin will again be in the dugout for today’s visit of Queen of the South after his spell as caretaker boss was extended while the Lions board continue to assess their options for a successor to Mark Burchill.

Livingston
Hopkin was assistant under Mark Burchill

 

Hopkin, who has already presided over a victory against St Mirren and defeat to Falkirk, worked as Burchill’s assistant for a year and Buchanan insists he and his team-mates would be happy to see him handed the reins on a permanent basis.

Buchanan said: “It’s up to the board who they’re going to employ but all he’s got to do is get the best out of us in the games he’s been asked to take and leave it up to them.

“I definitely feel that the boys are all playing for him and whoever gets the jobs we’ll play for them.

“We’re all responding to what he’s trying to do. We’re quite comfortable how it is at the moment, it’s a familiar face and it’s not like the cub has been left to run itself which sometimes happens when manager’s get sacked.”

Despite being Burchill’s former number two, Buchanan insists Hopkin has his own style.

He added: “Hoppy is doing things his own way, they’re a little bit different.

“He’s obviously got his own ideas on how to be a manager, he’s trying to put that to us and I think we’re all responding well to it. His method and way of being a manager is coming across.

“I don’t think you can keep doing the same sort of things if the results have maybe not been good enough.

“Hoppy has come in and he’s added some different methods and we’re responding.”

Queens manager James Fowler, meanwhile, is targeting a flawless run against Livingston, Dumbarton, Alloa and Raith Rovers this month to boost their play-off hopes.

He said: “We’re already a wee bit behind the teams that we think we’re a match for so we need to make sure January is a big month for us.

“We need to make sure we’re taking the majority of points from these games. You really have to be beating teams but we find it hard against sides near the bottom.”

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