LIVINGSTON players are using a public gym in the town centre in which to sharpen their fitness, but it is better than what Chris Innes had to put up with in the SPL.
The defender was today less than complimentary when comparing Livingston's facilities with those of previous club Gretna, saying the West Lothian club are far and away more professional.
"We use a big gym in town which has worked out fine," he sa
id. "It is certainly better then what I was used to at Gretna. We had a portable cabin to change in and we trained in England! It wasn't the best way to prepare for games. It is far better here.
"Having to use a public gym is not ideal, but not many teams in Scotland have their own gym facilities and it is working out fine.
"It was the same when I was at Dundee United, but what has impressed me is the preparation the Livingston coaching team put into the squad.
"They are very methodical. At the Scottish clubs I have been at before, a lot of the work has been all about running, but now we are told to look after ourselves.
"The emphasis is on recovery and how we fine tune and I think that has shown because we don't have any injuries at present, certainly no muscle strains or anything that you can often get from being overworked.
"The Italians are fond of comparing an athlete to a Ferrari engine, it needs to be fine tuned, not overdriven.
"To be honest, I have been very impressed and am really excited about this season. There is a good squad of players and the new boys who have come in have all integrated well."
Livingston play Queen of the South in Dumfries tomorrow in a first against second clash.
It is the third week running the Lions have faced their nearest rivals, winning the previous two against Dundee and Partick Thistle, and midfielder Murray Davidson said: "We go to Palmerston full of confidence, looking to create a wee gap between us and the chasing pack."
Top scorer Leigh Griffiths is expected to be named among the substitutes.
Coach Roberto Landi said: "Leigh's recovery was put at four to five weeks and he should be on the bench. His recovery has been going well."
Landi says the Lions are ahead of target, however, their first aim is still to secure their safety.
"At this point we have more points than expected, but our target is 36 points and, after that, we can begin to think about other things. If we are near the top after 18 games, who knows?"
The full article contains 451 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
