Glens are on the right track: McFall
GLENTORAN manager Ronnie McFall believes the club is moving in the right direction to become a force in Irish League football again — despite losing their last four matches.
The Glens made a promising start to the season but have hit a wall in October, though their defeats this month have come against the top three teams in the Danske Bank Premiership — Linfield twice, Crusaders and Glenavon.
The Oval boss insists that setbacks will happen as the Glens try to rebuild following some difficult times on and off the field.
He adds that it will take a minimum of three years to make the team challengers for every trophy, as they used to be, but believes the supporters are fully behind the long term plan.
“We are certainly on the right road,” he said.
“We have laid the foundations and this is a work in progress. Glentoran aren’t going to get back to where they were in one year— it will be a minimum three years and we just have to keep working and get in quality players when the transfer windows come around.
“I think the chairman (Stephen Henderson) and directors are fully aware of that. In the situation Glentoran are at the moment, you are going to get disappointments and setbacks.
“I think the fans are fully behind us and appreciate what we are doing and know slowly, slowly wins the race. All they are asking is that everyone gives 110% and that’s what we are giving.”
One big plus from the midweek loss to Linfield was the form of new signing John Herron, who scored in an impressive display after the Glens appealed his red card against Glenavon.
“John Herron was outstanding. He’s only getting his match legs. We knew when he came he was just recovering from an operation. You’ll really see the best of him from here on in,” said McFall.
“It wasn’t a big decision to appeal his red card. As far as we were concerned, it was an injustice and was never a sending off.
“Anyone that I have spoken to fully agrees — people who were at the game or watched a recording of it said it was a scandalous decision. That’s why we appealed. We will play him until the appeal is heard.”
There were other decisions that irked McFall last weekend in the 2-1 reverse at home to Glenavon, when the Glens also had Calum Birney and Willie Garrett dismissed.
“We’ve watched the highlights back again and Garrett’s header was clearly over the line when we were attacking,” added McFall, whose side host Ards tomorrow.
“We have a still photograph that proves it and the throw-in for their second goal was taken from on the pitch so, unless they have changed the rules, I don’t know.
“Ards will be a hard match,” he added.
“There are some clubs who perform better against bigger clubs. They lift their game but they will be on a downer after losing to Larne, a Championship side.
“We just have to worry about ourselves and our objective this season is to try and get in the top six.”