Paddy McCourt has urged Glentoran to make the right managerial appointment to build on their first win in five games. The interim boss, who oversaw a 2-1 victory at Cliftonville, said he does not want the job permanently but wants to stay at the Oval in some capacity.
McCourt and Tim McCann have been in charge for the last two matches following Declan Devine's departure on Monday. Their first game ended in a 2-1 home defeat to Coleraine, but they bounced back with a vital three points at Solitude. That win lifted the Glens to seventh in the Premiership table with 10 points from eight matches. The team's recent form shows one win, one draw, and three defeats in their last five league outings.
"It's an absolutely brilliant job for somebody," McCourt said. He stressed the importance of the board's next move. "I'm an employee of Glentoran Football Club, and I'll dig in as much as I can until I speak to the decision makers when a new manager is announced."
How the win unfolded
Jack Malone gave Glentoran a 15th-minute lead before being sent off later in the match. Cliftonville equalised through Donal McMaster, but substitute Jordan Jenkins came off the bench to score an 84th-minute winner. Goalkeeper Andrew Mills made several important saves to secure the result, which ended a run of three defeats and a draw.
The victory was only Glentoran's third league win this season. They have scored 11 goals and conceded 10. The club remains 12 points behind leaders Coleraine. The team has averaged 1.4 goals per 90 minutes this season.
With the managerial search ongoing, the focus now shifts to the next fixture. Glentoran host Carrick Rangers, who are one place below them in eighth, on Saturday. The full schedule is on our fixtures page. McCourt's immediate task is to prepare the squad for that match while the board considers its long-term option.
