Livingston FC manager Glenn Whelan has landed his first top-flight job with a clear mission: restore the club to the Scottish Premiership after last season’s relegation. The Irishman took charge at Almondvale this summer and is already drawing on lessons from Celtic coach Shaun Maloney, who guided him during their two-year stint together at Wigan Athletic.

How Maloney’s advice is shaping Whelan’s approach

Whelan worked alongside Maloney at Wigan from 2022 to 2024, a period that shaped his coaching outlook. “Shaun was great for me, bringing me in,” Whelan told reporters. “He’d just come out of Belgium with Roberto Martínez, so he had loads of fresh ideas. We talked football non-stop—how we see the game, the Wigan experience. You take the best bits and try to improve.”

The pair’s collaboration ended on a sour note when Wigan were relegated from the Championship in May 2024, but Whelan insists the takeaways remain valuable. “It’s football—it’s the industry we’re in,” he said. “Now I’m on the coaching ladder, and I’m looking to climb as high as I can.”

Livingston FC currently sit 12th in the Premiership with just 16 points from 33 games, 54 points adrift of league leaders Heart Of Midlothian and clinging to safety by the narrowest of margins. Their goal difference stands at -31 after conceding 66 and scoring 35, while recent form reads LDLDW.

Proving himself to the Lions’ faithful

Whelan’s first priority is winning over the Almondvale faithful. “I need to come in and prove myself, first and foremost to the fans at Livingston,” he said. “Get a tune out of the boys—that’s the target.” His squad has shipped 66 goals this term, the second-worst defensive record in the top flight, so defensive solidity will be the acid test for his reign.

Yet Whelan insists he won’t simply copy Maloney’s blueprint. “I’m keen to carve my own path,” he added. “I’ll take the best from every experience, but the style has to fit the players we’ve got.” With only one win so far this season, the pressure is on to turn theory into results before the transfer window’s late-July deadline.

What comes next for Livingston FC

The next two weeks will decide whether Whelan can steady the ship. The club’s next fixture is away to St Mirren on July 20, a game that could set the tone for the rest of the summer. “We’ve got to start stringing results together,” Whelan said. “Every point counts when you’re this close to the bottom.”

Livingston FC’s survival bid also hinges on shoring up the defence. They’ve conceded twice as many goals as champions Hearts and need to tighten up fast. With Maloney’s tactical DNA in his ear, Whelan now faces the harder task: turning talk into action on the pitch.