Scott Arfield has firmly stated he will not be putting his name forward for the permanent manager position at Livingston, even as he prepares to take charge of the club for their final three Scottish Premiership matches of the season. The experienced 37-year-old midfielder will lead the team starting with a trip to Dundee at Dens Park on Saturday.
Arfield's temporary appointment comes in the wake of a significant upheaval at the relegated club. His predecessor, Marvin Bartley, along with assistant Neil Hastings, resigned on Thursday after being informed they would need to reapply for their positions. This decision by the club's hierarchy has left a leadership vacuum that Arfield, as the most experienced player in the squad, has been asked to fill on an interim basis.
When asked about his long-term ambitions, Arfield was characteristically candid and humorous. "I'll tell you on 17 May," he said, referencing the date of their final match. "If I get a wee bit of grey hair then I'm not interested but if it's three wins, we've only had two wins all season, you never know, you never know." This comment underscores the immense pressure and difficulty of the managerial role, a challenge he is not yet ready to commit to permanently.
The context of Livingston's season is crucial to understanding this managerial change. The club was relegated from the Premiership, a fate sealed after a difficult campaign. Long-serving boss David Martindale, who had guided them back to the top flight via the play-offs the previous season, moved into a sporting director role in February. Bartley was then promoted from assistant to manager but managed only one win and six draws in his 11 matches in charge, a record that ultimately led to his resignation rather than a reapplication.
Arfield's reluctance to apply for the job is also tied to his belief that he still has a future as a player. "I wouldn't throw my name in. They might throw my name in but I wouldn't throw my name in. I still feel as if I've got a lot to give as a player," he explained. This highlights a common dilemma for veteran players considering a move into coaching—the desire to continue playing versus the all-consuming nature of management.
Furthermore, Arfield was adamant that a player-manager role, a model sometimes used in lower leagues, is not a viable solution. He drew on his own experience at Falkirk to illustrate the point, recalling how manager John Hughes, who was also playing, would become completely fixated on the game and unable to make objective decisions from the sideline. "You're the manager but I think somebody has to make decisions because you can't see it," Arfield noted, adding that the resulting arguments between Hughes and his assistant were a source of great amusement for the young players.
For Livingston, this interim period is about stability and seeing out a disappointing season with dignity. Arfield's role is to provide experienced leadership for the final three fixtures, starting against Dundee. The club's board will then have the summer to conduct a thorough search for a new permanent manager, a decision that will be critical for their ambitions to bounce back from the Championship at the first time of asking.
The situation at Livingston is a microcosm of the brutal realities of football management. The swift transition from Martindale's long tenure to Bartley's brief spell and now to Arfield's caretaker role demonstrates how quickly fortunes can change. Arfield's pragmatic and slightly weary acceptance of the "sink or swim" challenge reflects the mindset of a player who has seen it all, but who also knows his own limits and desires for the next chapter of his career.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.
