Marvin Bartley: 'Livingston haven't said anything about pay cuts, but it's a worrying time for all clubs'

Lions captain spoke about situation at Tynecastle and how West Lothian club are approaching hiatus
Marvin Bartley spoke about the hiatusMarvin Bartley spoke about the hiatus
Marvin Bartley spoke about the hiatus

Livingston captain Marvin Bartley has spoken about how the West Lothian side are dealing with Scottish football’s indefinite hiatus as a result of the spread of coronavirus.

In a lengthy discussion on the While the Chief podcast, the 33-year-old admitted it was a worrying time for all clubs.

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He added: “Livingston haven’t said anything to players about pay cuts or whatever, but I was surprised to see Hearts go down that route and so early as well - we’re not even sure when football’s coming back - but it’s going to have an impact on all players, all staff, non-playing staff as well so it’s a very, very difficult time.”

Training in smaller groups

Bartley’s former club Hibs are spending the week “off-site” with no players or staff at the Hibernian Training Centre, while other teams are instructing their squad members to maintain fitness levels at home.

Bartley continued: “Last time [Livingston] trained as an actual full squad was the Friday before the game with Hearts was cancelled [on Sunday March 15].

“Since then, it’s just been a few boys coming in here or there, keeping the numbers smaller in case someone gets the virus so it’s not spreading throughout the whole squad but it’s looking like it’s going to be individuals going in now.

“I do a lot of the coaching for the reserves but I’m in the same position as them - I’ve never experienced this in my life so it’s a shock to me because I’m missing football like you wouldn’t believe, and the young boys are exactly the same.”

Business [degree] as usual

Despite the Scottish football season entering an indefinite shutdown, Bartley is still working on his university course – a management degree led by lecturer Stephen Robertson, with Hibs trio David Gray, Darren McGregor and Steven Whittaker and Dundee’s on-loan Hearts defender Christophe Berra among Bartley’s classmates.

“The course is still going, we’re actually having a group discussion online tomorrow. We’ve got Christophe Berra on the course who’s on loan at Dundee but is a Hearts player so I think the 50 per cent wage cut could hit him as well, so we’ve got someone quite close to us in the group who’s being impacted by [the situation at Tynecastle].

“The football management course at Edinburgh Napier has been fantastic – it’s more a look at the business, rather than coaching side of things.”

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