Bemused David Martindale is adamant there is no break up loyalties when his Livingston crew face Rangers - and insists he is "choking" to take factors off the Ibrox aspect.
The Livi boss took stick for his Sky Sports activities interview on Saturday after Giovanni van Bronckhorst's males got here from behind to win on the Tony Macaroni Area. Some rivals followers took challenge with Martindale's feedback as he lauded targets from Scott Arfield and James Tavernier.
The 48-year-old, who has admitted to supporting Rangers rising up, referred to Arfield as "wee Scotty" and insisted "Tav does what Tav does" after the Ibrox skipper whipped in a free-kick winner - though he additionally claimed the previous needs to be banned from Livingston for once more scoring versus his hometown membership. However Martindale, in an interview with Rangers fan podcast Battle Fever set to be launched this week, has rubbished the notion his groups strive more durable in opposition to Celtic than Rangers, stating that it would be a tough promote to the six Hoops diehards in his Livi altering room.
He confessed his crew's kind in opposition to Rangers in latest encounters has been irritating him and that he'd he love nothing greater than to get one over on the blue half of Glasgow. Martindale mentioned: "(On Tavernier's purpose) If anyone disagrees with what I am saying, they're deluded. They're deluded.
"Rangers beat us final yr and we took factors off Celtic. Do you critically assume I can go into my altering room and say: 'Do not strive at present lads, I used to be a Rangers supporter once I was youthful'?
"I've acquired six Celtic followers in there! Have you learnt what I imply? It does not occur. I need to beat Rangers as a lot as I need to beat Celtic. Saturday, how anyone can... 'Oh, his manner after the sport...'
"My friends all ship me the stuff. I do not need to see it, however it's fairly humorous generally. I do not go on Twitter searching for it nevertheless it will get despatched to me and I am like 'how tight was the sport on Saturday?'.
"You continue to get Celtic followers saying 'he tries more durable in opposition to Celtic'. Genuinely, and that is me being trustworthy, in all probability too trustworthy - I am choking to take factors off Rangers.
"It was one in every of my bugbears since we beat Rangers (at residence) 1-0 and had a draw, I do not assume we have achieved effectively in opposition to them, I do not assume now we have.
"And it is not from the actual fact I'm going into the altering room and inform the boys to not strive as onerous at present as a result of it is Rangers! I'm going on the market each sport regardless of who it's, Rangers or Celtic, we would like three factors.
"We strive our greatest to take factors."