Football: McAree - I'm in full charge at Glens
New Glens boss speaks ahead of his first game as Manager away to Newry today
New Glentoran Manager Rodney McAree takes charge of his first match this afternoon - and he's called on the club's fans to come together for 'a new beginning'.
The former Dungannon Swifts and Coleraine boss has been First Team Coach at The Oval for the past 18 months. But, following fan protests outside the ground after last weekend's Premiership defeat to Larne, he's now the man in the hot seat.
It was announced on Tuesday that Mick McDermott was stepping down with McAree coming into the role. McDermott still retains his place as Glentoran director.
The new man takes his side to Newry this afternoon (3pm) hoping to arrest an alarming run of 5 league defeats in a row.
The tie has been scheduled for last night only for the freezing weather to lead to a postponement. This afternoon's rescheduled fixtures comes after The Showgrounds pitch passed an 11am pitch inspection.
"It's a new beginning for everybody. It's a new beginning for them too," says McAree.
"Ultimately, I understand their frustration, I understand why they've been so angry over this past few weeks. But this is a new beginning and we all have to come together to strive for the success that this club deserves."
With so much going on off the pitch, the former Fulham midfielder now just wants to get down to business on it.
"It's been a busy week," he admits.
"But it's been enjoyable and it's been exciting. When it was brought up to me, I just wanted to happen. I certainly didn't envisage it happening as soon as this.
"We'll tweak little bits and pieces. We'll tweak what we do in training and a little bit of our preparation. It would be a bit different, but at this point in time, I think a little bit different will benefit everybody."
Much has been made of whether former boss McDermott will have any say in footballing matters at the club, given his position as Director.
That's something McAree is adamant isn't the case.
"I've had a poor experience in football as a manager this last while, so I'm not going to put myself into something at this moment in time that's not mine. I have complete faith that I have complete control of football matters at this football club," he reiterates.
"I'll make my own mistakes, I'll take guidance and speak to a lot of other people, but ultimately whatever we do on a football pitch will be my decision and I look forward to that."
Following a superb start to the campaign that saw the East Belfast side clear at the top of the league, things have taken something of downturn in recent times.
While injuries to key players, Northern Ireland international Conor McMenamin and Summer signing Aidan Wilson, haven't helped, McAree pinpoints the beginning of the malaise that has crept in.
"I think we ran out of a little bit of lady luck," he feels.
"We were going through a good spell, playing really well and we played Ballymena here (The Oval) and within the space of 20 minutes, the game was abandoned. At that stage, we could have been two or three up and were playing really well.
"Off the back of that, we fell into a run of poor performances and poor results.
"It's spiralled a bit. Results got worse and performances were poor, if we're being honest."
Today, he will aim to arrest their poor recent run of form as a new dawn begins for Glentoran.