Kenny Miller: Livingston appoint former Rangers striker player-manager on two-year deal
- Published
Miller ended last season serving an internal suspension by Rangers before his contract expired
Livingston have appointed former Rangers striker Kenny Miller as their player-manager on a two-year deal.
Miller, 38, took training on Saturday morning after reaching agreement with the West Lothian club.
The veteran Scotland forward, who left Rangers when his contract expired this summer, succeeds David Hopkin, who left after guiding Livi to promotion.
Miller's first competitive match in charge will be a League Cup group match against Airdrieonians on 14 July.
Livi will also face Hamilton Academical, Annan Athletic and Berwick Rangers next month before opening their Premiership campaign - their first since 2006 - away at champions Celtic on 4 August.
Miller has scored more than 200 goals in over 600 appearances for nine different clubs - including three spells at Rangers - in Scotland, England, Wales, Turkey and Canada.
The striker also won 69 caps for Scotland between from 2001 to 2013, scoring 18 international goals.
Miller's third spell at Rangers ended in controversial fashion; he was not offered a new contract following a post-match dispute with former manager Graeme Murty at the end of a 4-0 Scottish Cup semi-final defeat by Celtic in April.
Miller and club captain Lee Wallace were both fined and suspended, a decision the pair have appealed against.
Livingston are scheduled to host Rangers in the Premiership on 29 September, with a trip to Ibrox on 24 November.
Reaction: 'It is going to be tough'
Scotland Women's head coach Shelley Kerr: "Kenny will probably go into it thinking he has got nothing to lose, but it will be a hard gig as a player-manager.
"The perception will be that it will be tough for them to survive in the top division, and for his first role as a manager it is going to be tough.
"A recurring theme with player-managers is they stop playing, or they don't play for very long when they take that on.
"It isn't just coaching, it is also managing the players, allocating time to each of them to get the best out of them as individuals. Whoever his number two is will need to support him in that role."
Former Celtic striker Scott McDonald: "It is a tough ask. I am really surprised he took it. Kenny, for me, is still a top-quality player who could still play for one of the top four teams in Scotland.
"It is a big call for him, trying to fill the striker's role and score the goals to keep them up, as well as managing them. Maybe he will find that early on and have to take a back-seat and concentrate on managing them.
"Kenny is an all-or-nothing guy and to try to fill the two roles at once is going to be very difficult, especially as he has come in so late."