Rejuvenated Glackin determined to get one over on old Crues pals
mainly around Belfast and Glengormley. We do birthdays and one-to-one coaching. It’s a challenge that takes your mind off match days. It’s going well and hopefully it continues to grow. We want to see kids enjoy their football and forget about the pressure. It’s nice to pass on experience and knowledge. JAMIE Glackin has revealed that joining Coleraine has given him a new lease of life ahead of tonight’s league game against his former club Crusaders.
Glackin has been in brilliant form since making his debut for the Bannsiders last month and is relishing the prospect of taking on his old pals at Seaview.
The 23-year-old winger was a title winner at Crusaders but he didn’t play as regularly as he wanted after moving from Dungannon in the summer of 2017.
Now under Rodney McAree, who was his boss at Stangmore Park, the Omagh native is showing his class and already has four assists to his name for Coleraine.
He will be a key figure this evening for the visitors who can go fourth in the table if they overcome the champions, whose hopes of retaining the titlewereseriouslydamagedwhen they lost 1-0 at Dungannon last weekend. The Crues trail leaders Linfield by 12 points and second-placed Ballymena by six.
Coleraine will also be aiming to bounce back from a disappointing 3-2 defeat at Linfield having led by two goals.
Glackin says he has no hard feelings towards Crusaders and is looking forward to seeing his ex-team-mates again but he will be there to help the Bannsiders claim three points.
“Ican’twaittoseeallthelads at Crusaders again. I’m looking forward to it. It’s an important game for us because if we win we’d go five points behind the Crues which would give us a chance to try and push for third,” said Glackin. “We are also in the quarter-finalsoftheIrishCupso we have a lot to play for.”
Reflecting on his 18-month spell at Crusaders and assessing his move to Coleraine, the gifted Glackin stated: “The first season at Crusaders was good. We won the league and County Antrim Shield and I was enjoying my time there. Sometimes, though, when I felt I’d played well I foundmyselfoutoftheteamand that was frustrating.
“It damages your confidence and to be honest it did affect me. Travelling up to training in Belfast from Omagh knowing I wouldn’t play was hard.
“In the second year I wasn’t enjoying it and knew I had to go. I didn’t want to be not playing and resting on my laurels. At Coleraine I have made a fresh start and I’m loving my football again.
“I have a new lease of life. That’s what it feels like and I believe there is more to come.
“I bought into what Rodney wanted straight away and got the head down for my league debut against Glenavon and have kicked on. I’m enjoying it and I think that’s when I play my best.
“Crusaders are a top team so we know it will be tough. We were disappointed to lose at Linfield, especially after playing so well in the first 60 minutes, but hopefully we can bounce back.”