Freezing temperatures in Livingston are a far cry from basking in the Turkish sun.
But Lions boss David Martindale hopes that his side won’t be caught cold as they return to action this weekend when they welcome rivals Dundee United to the Tony Macaroni Arena.
The winter break may have come at the wrong time for Livi – with their great form earning Martindale the November Manager of the Month award.
But he is confident that they can continue their charge for a European spot on Saturday.
Speaking to the Courier, he said: “There’s really very little in the league between the teams in third and 12th and a couple of bad or good results can completely change your position and outlook.
“We are under no illusions as to how hard it’s going to be on Saturday, but we had three good games during the break where the boys played really well.
“I feel that we have been able to keep our confidence and momentum through those games and performances which was my biggest concern going into the break because it came at the wrong time with us being in a bit of form.”
Martindale added: “Maybe it came at a good time for Dundee United with Foxy (head coach Liam Fox) able to spend a lot of time in training with the players and able to put a bit more of a stamp on things, which can be difficult to do when you’re constantly playing games.
“The break might have hindered us slightly and benefitted Dundee United, but I hope that’s not the case.”
Fox – who was assistant to Martindale a couple of seasons ago and spent seven years as a player at Livi – is tipped to lead the Arabs up the table.
His Lions counterpart said: “I think that they’re in a false position in the league. I’m not just saying that because I know Foxy.
“They have got some tremendous players in their squad and I do think that they will show their ability and start climbing the table.
“But from my perspective, I think that we can beat anybody in this league at home and I’m confident that we can do that.”
Goalkeeper Shamal George is still recovering from the thigh strain that kept him out of the Lions’ three friendlies while striker Kurtis Guthrie is back training following an ankle injury he sustained at Ibrox in October.
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