More of our sides will go pro: Baxter
ULSTER are optimistic that new head coach Dan McFarland will be allowed to take over the side in time for pre-season.
After being named in relation to the role in yesterday’s Belfast Telegraph, the province later confirmed the Scotland forward specialist as the man to replace Jono Gibbes at Kingspan Stadium. He has, however, a notice period in his current contract that runs for nine months, which would see him unable to start work here until January 2019.
But now less than 18 months out from a World Cup, Gregor Townsend’s men will need a replacement and it is understood that once that is secured, McFarland is much more likely to be freed.
The former Glasgow and Connacht man said: “I am really excited that I will be taking on the Ulster head coach role. I know first-hand from my years visiting with Connacht and Glasgow the passion and fervour that makes playing in front of Ulster fans so special. It’s a club with a great history and I welcome the challenge.”
With a Champions Cup qualification play-off against Ospreys this month, Ulster are still thought to be on the hunt for two assistants.
Meanwhile, as reported by the Belfast Telegraph in March, Ulster’s PRO14 games will no longer be on BBC NI with confirmation of a new deal between the league and Premier Sports confirmed yesterday.
McFARLAND RELISHING IT: Page 42-43 STEPHEN Baxter thinks that more local teams will go down the professional route in an effort to stay at the top of the game.
The Crusaders boss (below), who collected a third Gibson Cup at the weekend, is set to become a full-time manager next year with the north Belfast side determined not to rest on their laurels.
“We have our full-time plans in place for what we want to do next year,” he explained.
“Michael O’Neill made mention of that in the last year or two on the improvements that have been made. With the work these part-time players have been putting in, it has become like a professional game and that’s why we need to examine that.
“We’ve seen the Dundalk model, the
Derry City model, we know the type of thing we’re working towards and I think you’ll see that improvement now in Irish League football.
“I think you’re going to see a lot of teams go in that direction, you’ll see teams maybe like Coleraine and Ballymena putting plastic pitches in to improve the quality.”
However, despite the rise of the Bannsiders this season, Baxter still sees the main threat to his side’s dominance coming from the south of the city.
“We have to work really hard at what we do because we are still trying to compete with Linfield, make no mistake about it,” he added.
“Linfield are the big noise in Northern Ireland with regards to the stadium, finances, support base and for teams like ourselves and Cliftonville, who are taking titles off them, it speaks volumes for what’s going on.”
FULL STORY: Page 38-39