Latest news with #Martindale
USA Today
2 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Ernest Hausmann says Michigan's defense, with Wink Martindale, is ready to dominate
Across college football, many take Michigan football to take a step back on defense, with Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant, Josaiah Stewart, and Will Johnson all moving on to the NFL. But the Wolverines showed in the ReliaQuest Bowl that the players behind them are good enough to beat high-level offenses. Even so, as the maize and blue are now in fall camp, they're keeping the confidence gained from such a win, but otherwise erasing that, the Ohio State win, and everything else from their mind. Senior linebacker Ernest Hausmann said at Big Ten media days that retaining the hunger and the chip on their shoulder from the season in 2024, not meeting expectations is what's driving this 2025 team. "In our minds, it's Michigan versus everybody, no matter what," Hausmann said. "No matter what our ranking is, we don't look at the rankings. We don't care about that ranking at all. Because at the same time, at the same day, we have to put the helmet on each game and have to play high-level football, execute a high level to win a football game. And we saw that. "We went 8-5 last year. That's not the Michigan standard. We had to change some things. We have to change some things because we can't do what we did last year. We went 8-5. That's not the standard, like I said. It's Michigan versus everybody, so we have to go back to the basics. We have to go back to what we, as Michigan, what do we hang our hats on? We found our men in black towards the end of the season. But it's a whole new roster. We got to find that. And how do we find that earlier in the season, right? From game one. The only focus right now is New Mexico. That's the only focus of game one right now." One big thing that isn't being discussed too much is that there is continuity, not just personnel-wise, but with the coaches on the defensive side of the ball. Despite running the same scheme from 2021-24, there have been three coordinators -- Mike Macdonald, Jesse Minter, and Wink Martindale. The changeover from Macdonald to Minter was smooth, but there were some hiccups early with Martindale and his crew. But, as the season wore on, the defense got better and better as the staff and the players acclimated to each other. Hausmann expects that that is one thing that will continue, because the returning players got to know Martindale so well that they started to innately understand more of the why rather than just the what. "It's huge -- it's huge having that continuity," Hausmann said. "Because like I said before, relationships are huge, right? And understanding how people want to see things called and how people see things right from different coaches, and all this is the beauty of football. And I think that's one of the things I preach about Coach Wink, right? I love seeing his game plans each week. Because they vary. They vary each week. And seeing how from Monday, seeing the game plan, how they all fit together from Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and then finally Friday, right, seeing them all piece together for a final game plan. "And towards the end of the season, right, I'm the one with the headset communicator, right? So towards the end of the season, right, you can kind of get in the mind of Coach Wink and kind of understand how he calls things to the point where I'm almost anticipating what he's calling. I already kind of know what he's going to call before he calls it. And that's the beauty of it. And I love that about it. And I think that's going to pay dividends going into this year, just as everybody understands how he wants things played, how he sees things right." Fans will get the opportunity to see the Michigan football defense in action starting on August 30 when the Wolverines host New Mexico for the season opener at The Big House.
The National
15 hours ago
- Sport
- The National
David Martindale on why he owes Chris Sutton and the SPFL apologies
Who will come out on top when Heart host Aberdeen at Tynecastle in the William Hill Premiership at Tynecastle on Monday night? Who will prevail when Dundee face Hibernian at Dens Park on Sunday? It is impossible to say what will happen at the start of a new season. David Martindale, though, is absolutely certain about one thing ahead of Livingston's first league encounter of the 2025/26 campaign against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park on Saturday afternoon. Read more: 'We're going to be the last on Sportscene,' he said at the Set Fare Arena yesterday during a break from the promoted West Lothian club's preparations for the challenging trip through to Ayrshire. 'You'll generally get a two or three minute clip of us.' Martindale accepts that the size of his side's fanbase – they had an average attendance of just 3,582 the last time they were in the top flight - means that bigger clubs are always going to receive more air time on BBC Scotland's football highlights programme. However, he also believes that misconceptions about their style of play have been partially responsible for them being cast in a supporting role to their larger and better-supporter domestic rivals in the past. He is keen to change that this term and confident his men can surprise a few people in the coming 10 months. 'I think there was a lazy narrative with us previously - big, strong, physical Livingston,' he said. 'It was lazy when you take into consideration how well we had played and what we had done. (Image: Ross Parker - SNS Group) 'Yes, we were probably, during our the last year in the Premiership, a wee bit more 10 bodies behind the ball, play a wee bit more direct, hit the space in behind. But we play a different shape to what we played in the last couple of years in the Premiership. 'I don't want to waste a year's coaching. We actually want teams to come and press us now. So we want teams to come and give us that space in behind. 'The ideals have changed slightly, but you've still got to find a way to win that game of football. I'll be doing that every Saturday, but sticking to the basic fundamentals that we played last year, and the basic fundamentals that we coached last year. I think it's essential that we don't deviate from that too far. 'Are we better for the experience of promotion? I think we are. I think you'll still see a lot of traits of what you've seen at Livingston previously. But hopefully you're going to see attacking football.' Read more: Martindale stressed that he will have no qualms about [[Livingston]] throwing caution to the wind and taking the game to Celtic at Parkhead or Hibernian at Easter Road in the season ahead if he feels it will increase their prospects of recording a result. 'Believe it or not, I've never been short of confidence,' he said. 'In football, I've never felt unconfident. I've always felt confident in any environment I've been in as a coach or as a player. You can put me on the Broxburn Juniors park or put me at Ibrox, it doesn't really faze me either way.' Martindale, who has brought in no fewer than nine new players during the close season and who added Congolese international striker Jeremy Bokila to his squad this weekend, has never been shy when it comes to defending Livingston. He has hit back at criticism of both their style of play and their artificial pitch in the past. But the laying of a new surface at Almondvale earlier this month has forced him to re-evaluate his previous comments – and he extended an olive branch to both outspoken Sky Sports pundit Chris Sutton and the SPFL as he looked ahead to the Kilmarnock encounter on Saturday. (Image: SNS Group) 'I'll be honest, I probably owe certain parts of the media an apology for the last two years,' he said. 'I'll explain why. Because I was at the club when our pitch got put down, I have probably not seen the deterioration in the park. 'I probably had a wee bit of a go at the SPFL at the tail end of last year by saying, 'I cannae believe they're telling us we're not getting any Premiership at that park'. Now that we've got a new surface because of the restrictions imposed on us and forced on us, I actually need to apologise because I was wrong. 'Did I still think the park we had last year was better than some grass parks I've played on? One hundred per cent. Some grass parks last year were diabolical, dismal. But can I see the journalists and media gripes about it previously? Yeah. 'I'm hoping that the bigger teams which come here are going to see an improvement in the surface. They're going to find an adequate surface. There's a bit more speed on the park. It probably changes how we are going to play. 'I genuinely believed our surface was okay in the last couple of years. Looking back now, I think I was wrong with that assertion. I think I owe the SPFL an apology, Neil [chief executive Doncaster) and Calum [director of football operations Beattie] probably. 'I owe certain media pundits a wee bit of apology. I think Chris Sutton had a wee bit of a go about the park and I maybe had a go back at him. Do you know what? I agree with him now.'
The Herald Scotland
15 hours ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
David Martindale on why he owes Chris Sutton and the SPFL apologies
David Martindale, though, is absolutely certain about one thing ahead of Livingston's first league encounter of the 2025/26 campaign against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park on Saturday afternoon. Read more: 'We're going to be the last on Sportscene,' he said at the Set Fare Arena yesterday during a break from the promoted West Lothian club's preparations for the challenging trip through to Ayrshire. 'You'll generally get a two or three minute clip of us.' Martindale accepts that the size of his side's fanbase – they had an average attendance of just 3,582 the last time they were in the top flight - means that bigger clubs are always going to receive more air time on BBC Scotland's football highlights programme. However, he also believes that misconceptions about their style of play have been partially responsible for them being cast in a supporting role to their larger and better-supporter domestic rivals in the past. He is keen to change that this term and confident his men can surprise a few people in the coming 10 months. 'I think there was a lazy narrative with us previously - big, strong, physical Livingston,' he said. 'It was lazy when you take into consideration how well we had played and what we had done. (Image: Ross Parker - SNS Group) 'Yes, we were probably, during our the last year in the Premiership, a wee bit more 10 bodies behind the ball, play a wee bit more direct, hit the space in behind. But we play a different shape to what we played in the last couple of years in the Premiership. 'I don't want to waste a year's coaching. We actually want teams to come and press us now. So we want teams to come and give us that space in behind. 'The ideals have changed slightly, but you've still got to find a way to win that game of football. I'll be doing that every Saturday, but sticking to the basic fundamentals that we played last year, and the basic fundamentals that we coached last year. I think it's essential that we don't deviate from that too far. 'Are we better for the experience of promotion? I think we are. I think you'll still see a lot of traits of what you've seen at Livingston previously. But hopefully you're going to see attacking football.' Read more: Martindale stressed that he will have no qualms about [[Livingston]] throwing caution to the wind and taking the game to Celtic at Parkhead or Hibernian at Easter Road in the season ahead if he feels it will increase their prospects of recording a result. 'Believe it or not, I've never been short of confidence,' he said. 'In football, I've never felt unconfident. I've always felt confident in any environment I've been in as a coach or as a player. You can put me on the Broxburn Juniors park or put me at Ibrox, it doesn't really faze me either way.' Martindale, who has brought in no fewer than nine new players during the close season and who added Congolese international striker Jeremy Bokila to his squad this weekend, has never been shy when it comes to defending Livingston. He has hit back at criticism of both their style of play and their artificial pitch in the past. But the laying of a new surface at Almondvale earlier this month has forced him to re-evaluate his previous comments – and he extended an olive branch to both outspoken Sky Sports pundit Chris Sutton and the SPFL as he looked ahead to the Kilmarnock encounter on Saturday. (Image: SNS Group) 'I'll be honest, I probably owe certain parts of the media an apology for the last two years,' he said. 'I'll explain why. Because I was at the club when our pitch got put down, I have probably not seen the deterioration in the park. 'I probably had a wee bit of a go at the SPFL at the tail end of last year by saying, 'I cannae believe they're telling us we're not getting any Premiership at that park'. Now that we've got a new surface because of the restrictions imposed on us and forced on us, I actually need to apologise because I was wrong. 'Did I still think the park we had last year was better than some grass parks I've played on? One hundred per cent. Some grass parks last year were diabolical, dismal. But can I see the journalists and media gripes about it previously? Yeah. 'I'm hoping that the bigger teams which come here are going to see an improvement in the surface. They're going to find an adequate surface. There's a bit more speed on the park. It probably changes how we are going to play. 'I genuinely believed our surface was okay in the last couple of years. Looking back now, I think I was wrong with that assertion. I think I owe the SPFL an apology, Neil [chief executive Doncaster) and Calum [director of football operations Beattie] probably. 'I owe certain media pundits a wee bit of apology. I think Chris Sutton had a wee bit of a go about the park and I maybe had a go back at him. Do you know what? I agree with him now.'
Edinburgh Reporter
a day ago
- Business
- Edinburgh Reporter
Martindale: ‘we're punching above our weight'
Livingston manager, David Martindale, is not in the William Hill Premiership to make up the numbers, he wants to make a real impact and the 51-year-old is determined to steer the West Lothian side to survival in Scotland's top league. He has recruited heavily during the close season and Martindale revealed: 'If the (transfer) window was to shut tomorrow I would be fairly happy with where we are. Don't get me wrong, but if a wee bit of quality comes along you would probably have to consider that, but I have been telling most agents that that my recruitment time is finished. 'There will probably be two or three outwards, but I am fairly happy with what is in the changing room.' Livingston have been training, said the manager, 'here, there and everywhere', and the squad has enjoyed its first full week of training this week following the end of the Premier Sports Cup group matches which culminated in a 6-0 thrashing of Scottish League One side, Kelty Hearts. The club, he argued, is in the best place it has been for years, and, in that context, Martindale revealed that he has more time on his hands now with support staff in place. He said: 'It has really taken a big work load off my desk. I used to go home and speak to lawyers, get emails from lawyers, and it was overly consuming at times. 'Now I find myself going home with a few hours to spare as I am not having to catch up. There are other people at the club doing that now and I can focus on the team.' Martindale is relishing being back in the top flight and he said: 'I could give you the cliché answers here. I want to manage and coach in the Premiership, the players want to play in the Premiership, my staff want to be coaching and managing in the Premiership, and the football club needs the turnover, that's the bottom line. 'Financially, it is a much easier club to run when you are in the Premiership rather than being in the Championship. 'My target is to stay in the Premiership. I have had that chat with the owner, I've had that chat with the board and it is about consolidating and staying in the Premiership. 'I am not blinkered in that respect, and I know how difficult that is going to be, but, within the changing room, within the staff offices, we do not want to be here making up the numbers, we want to try and push and do as collectively well as we can as a group. 'The fundamental basic parameter is the stay in the Premiership and I am not going into the Premiership with that mindset, I want to compete with everybody. I want to compete with every team, I want to put points up and by doing that it should lead to the main objective and that is staying in the Premiership.' Scoring goals will be crucial and he hopes that his latest recruit, 36-year-old Congolese striker, Jeremy Bokila, who has experience in Belgium, Turkey, Russia, Romania, America and Holland, could be key. Overall, Martindale cast his mind back over the past decade and argued that The Lions have been part of the Premiership in seven out of ten seasons and he said: 'You can argue that it is where we belong, but the counter argument is, being honest, is that we are punching above our weight.' Saturday's first test in the William Hill Premiership is at Rugby Park against Kilmarnock on Saturday (15.00). The sides met in the Premier Sports Cup on July 16 an Killie squeezed home 1-0 with Mo Sylla scoring an own goal to separate the sides, but The Lions enjoyed 53 per cent of possession and Martindale is looking for a better result on this occasion. TUNNEL VISION: The exit to the pitch at the Home of the Set Fare Arena. Picture Nigel Duncan Like this: Like Related
Scotsman
4 days ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Premiership boss takes blame after ex-Hearts man suffers injury blow
The former Hearts man is back on the sidelines after crushing injury blow just days after signing with new club Sign up to our Hearts newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Livingston's head coach David Martindale has taken partial responsibility for Aidan Denholm's recent injury after the midfielder went off injured in his debut for his new club. The West Lothian club enjoyed an emphatic 6-0 win over Kelty Hearts in their Premier Sports Cup group stage fixture, with Andy Winter, Adam Montgomery, Robbie Muirhead, Shane Blaney and Stevie May all featuring on the scoresheet. However, Hearts fans will have been disappointed to see academy graduate Denholm coming off in the 69th minute after injuring his hamstring. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Speaking to club media after the game, Martindale confessed some of the blame of the 21-year-old's injury may lie at his door but insists the midfielder will have the best team around him to help the recovery. Denholm celebrates at full-time after a Celtic v Hearts Premiership match in 2023 | Getty Images 'I feel a bit sorry for Aidan he's hurt his hamstring again', Martindale said. 'He was desperate to play, he's done a full pre-season with Hearts I was desperate to integrate him into the squad so maybe I've got to take a little bit of responsibility. But, I don't think it's anywhere as bad as what it's previously been. The wee man is gutted, you don't want to be coming into a new club, making your debut and going off injured. But it's football, and unfortunately these are the things that happen sometimes. 'We've just got to deal with it. We will stick by him we will make sure he's got a good group around him so that's really disappointing.' The 21-year-old signed a three year deal with Jambos' Scottish Premiership rivals Livingston and is set to wear the number six shirt at the Tony Macaroni Stadium. Motherwell and Ross County, with whom Denholm was on loan for the first half of the 2024/25 season, had both also been keen on the former Tynecastle star but it was Martindale's side who ultimately won his signature. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Denholm came into Hearts pre-season recovering from an injury that had seen his season end prematurely. He would go on to feature in two pre-season games in Spain but then went unused in all four League Cup fixtures. After emerging as a first team player under the former Jambos head coach Steven Naismith in the 2023/24 season, the midfielder was then sent out on loan at the start of the last campaign and, despite his brief return to Tynecastle this summer, will now link up with Macauley Tait in West Lothian with Tait on loan with Livi from Gorgie. Martindale added in his post match presser: 'I spoke to Derek (McInnes) at Hearts and he speaks very highly about Aidan. The kid is a wee bit gutted right now, but we will stick by him and we will get him through and we will get him back in the next four to eight weeks.'
