Football: McDermott gone as Glentoran Manager
Mick McDermott is no longer manager of Glentoran.
In a statement released on the club website, the Glens have announced that First Team Coach Rodney McAree will take the managerial role on an 18-month contract.
It comes after a disappointing run of results for the side that led to supporter unrest. That unrest came to a head outside The Oval last Saturday following a 1-0 home defeat to Larne. A group of around 100 supporters protested in the car park of the ground calling for McDermott to go.
Former Dungannon Swifts and Coleraine boss takes over the role having been at Glentoran for a year and a half.
In the statement released o the Glens website, majority shareholder Ali Pour said: “When we considered Rodney joining our club at the beginning of last season we knew that he had the potential and drive to be our Manager in the future – that was the reason we recruited him. "Rodney has now been at the club for 1.5 years and knows the players, staff, workings of the club and we are sure that he will hit the ground running. He will have the full support of myself and the Glentoran Board moving forward."
McAree, who will take charge of the side for the first time in this Friday's Danske Bank Premiership clash away to Newry City, added: “I am delighted and excited to be given the opportunity to manage this great football club. This possibility had been discussed when I joined the Club; I did not expect it to happen so soon but I feel ready and hungry to get started to strive towards the success that everyone associated with Glentoran Football Club deserves. We have a hugely talented squad and now we all need to work together to get back to winning ways to achieve success in the future.
"I’d like to thank Ali Pour and the GFC Board for placing their trust in me and thanks to Michael McDermott and Paul Millar for bringing me to Glentoran and developing this opportunity to take the Club forward,” McAree added.
The club statement concluded: "Michael McDermott will remain on the GFC Board of Directors."