STAV NAHMANI followed Stephen Robinson’s instructions to a tee.
The St Mirren manager threw his summer signing on at Livingston with a simple message – ‘get me a goal’ – and the Israeli striker duly delivered a crucial stoppage time equaliser to earn his team an unlikely point on his first league appearance.
Saints trailed via Luiyi de Lucas’ 89th minute strike and appeared set for their first defeat of the Premiership season before Nahmani bundled home from a set-piece in the dying seconds. On-loan from Maccabi Haifa, the 20-year-old also struck twice on his full debut against Stirling Albion in the Viaplay Cup, and is determined to keep delivering when his manager calls upon him.
“I’m happy to play. This was my first game in the league and I’m happy to help the team and score a goal to take a point. The manager tells me all the time: ‘If I put you on, you need to score a goal for me’. He always speaks with me and telling me good things, that I need to be ready.
“It was nice to score late and it doesn’t matter who we play – Rangers, Celtic, Livingston, Ross County… it’s always great.
“We need to keep going. We looked good, controlled the game and we need to continue like that. Everyone is together. This is a team that is together the most that I’ve ever seen. Everybody is helping each other and you saw that on the pitch.”
Saturday’s clash at the Tony Macaroni Arena was a gruelling, attritional affair with little fluency, so it is no surprise Nahmani has swiftly concluded that Scottish football is a bit more rough and tumble than what he’s used to back home.
But he has credited Robinson with ensuring he has settled well into life in Paisley, as well as improving his grasp of English. With some notable cameos now under his belt, Nahmani insists he now hopes to become a regular fixture in the St Mirren XI.
“Scottish football is different from Israel,” he said. “Here it is more physical and fast. I’m getting used to it and I feel good. I need to play regularly because the football is different but I feel good and better – day after day.
“He is a good manager. He speaks me with all the time and helps me, because my English is not the best.
“Scotland is beautiful. I have been to Edinburgh and Glasgow, so it is all good.”
