Football: Managerial merry-go-round continues in the Irish League
Glentoran and Dungannon Swifts appoint new bosses
Both Glentoran and Dungannon Swifts have appointed new managers with Warren Feeney and Rodney McAree taking the respective roles.
Feeney takes the job at The Oval, vacated by McAree, who has returned to his hometown club Dungannon.
”I jumped at this offer from Glentoran. Any time I’ve been home over the past couple of years I’ve been at the Oval to watch the Glens, including the play-off last month," said Feeney, speaking on the Glentoran website.
"So I know the squad we have here and their potential for next season. I’m an East Belfast person who has a lot of Glenmen mates so I know what’s expected from one of the biggest clubs on the island. The fans and board here expect to be the best and that’s what I want to achieve," added the former Linfield boss, who has also had a spell at Ards and was most recently in England as manager of Welling United.
"Europe is vital and planning for it for the next month will be our priority. Both from previous times managing in Europe before, and from my time in Bulgaria I feel I have a clear understanding of how we need to approach these games and what we need to do to win them."
For McAree, he felt the time was right to return to a club he knows so well.
"I’m delighted to be coming back home to Stangmore Park, this opportunity has come at a good time for myself and I’m fortunate," he told the club website.
"It will give me the opportunity to try and unite Dungannon United Youth and Dungannon Swifts and make that bond even stronger than it already is. I can’t wait to get started at this stage. I’m really excited at the challenge which lies ahead."
It means that Cliftonville are now the only club remaining to appoint a new manager following the departure of Paddy McLAughlin to League of Ireland side Derry City with two games to go at the end of the last Irish League campaign.
Jim Magilton appears to be the front runner for the position, with Jim Ervin having taken over at Ballymena United and Gary Boyle replacing Darren Mullen at the helm of Newry City AFC in the other managerial changes in the top flight so far.