Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
MATCH IS BACK!
Mccarthy relishing prospect of leading his star-studded Crewe squad to success
NEW-LOOK Crewe United know they have a target on their backs – but they can’t wait to rise to the challenge.
With Eamonn Mccarthy as the club’s manager, a host of high-profile figures have been lured to the Mid-ulster club.
Former Cliftonville stars George Mcmullan, Chris Scannell and Ronan Scannell head an impressive list of incomings in the hope of taking the Glenavy club to a league title.
For Mccarthy (right) it marks a return to the dugout, nearly four years after bowing out at Newington.
And he told Match on Tuesday: “People are going to be out to stop us and we know that.
“But that’s fine, we’re really excited by the challenge.
“We can only focus on ourselves because I don’t know the opposition until we play them.
“We have targets that we want to meet and those will stay in-house but we’re focused on achieving those.
“These are exciting times and hopefully success will breed success for Crewe United.
“We won well on Saturday at AFC Silverwood but I know there will be tougher tests ahead.”
EAMONN Mccarthy had no intention of managing again.
He had little desire to stand on the sidelines, barking instructions and kicking every ball.
Nearly four years out of the game and he was doing just fine.
At the weekend, though, he selected 11 players, sent them out on to the pitch and counted 90 minutes down to their end.
The man who turned Newington into the kings of the Amateur League is back in football management.
He’s been bitten by the bug again. His love of the game now burns as bright as it always did.
And, like he used to do so frequently, he is winning matches.
Mccarthy was tempted back into the game by Crewe United with the lure of turning the club into Intermediate A champions.
If they achieve that, he could even be the man who leads them into the Irish League, achieving a long-standing goal for the ambitious outfit.
Mccarthy has pulled off one masterstroke already, securing the signature of former Cliftonville captain George Mcmullan and he was the driving force behind a 7-2 weekend win which immediately put Crewe top of the table.
Another man who won league titles with the Reds, Chris Scannell, is also on board as a player and coach.
They - along with Ronan Scannell, Ciaran O’connor and a number of other new face - are part of lofty plans to help a team who finished third last season make the step to serial winners.
But before Saturday’s first game back in the dugout, Mccarthy admits: “I was very, very nervous. I’ve not managed in nearly four years and no matter what people say, the game changes.
“Bringing these boys in, having proven winners in the changing room, means I have to raise my own standards.
“They will demand that of me and I have to get it right.
“So it was important we got off to a good start and thankfully we did that and scored a few goals in the process.”
Mccarthy hasn’t picked a team since ending his glorious reign as Newington manager back in 2015.
He has dabbled with coaching and assisting at Lisburn Distillery and UUJ and it’s that latter experience which convinced him he was ready to return.
He admitted: “I was definitely getting itchy feet. I got a taste for it again when I was helping Billy Youle out at UUJ.
“After that, a couple of clubs showed a bit of interest but I’ve always liked Crewe as a club so when that offer was put to me it felt right.
“It’s a great-run club and what we’re trying to do is create a family-friendly environment where wives and children are all welcome.
“And doing that I think made it easier to convince George and Chris and some of the others that this was the right club for them to come to.
“I sold it to them what we’re trying to do and achieve and they committed to the project which was a fantastic shot in the arm.
“It’s an honour and a privilege to have those boys at this club – George has won Irish League titles and is
already proving a great influence on and off the pitch.
“I couldn’t do it without Ronan and Ciaran because we can split the duties and that takes the pressure off me because I trust them emphatically.
“And I’ve been delighted with the support I’ve had from the club, they put so much in and deserve success so hopefully we can deliver that for them.”
Saturday’s win over Silverwood was achieved thanks to a hat-trick from William Mccracken plus strikes by Dan Smith, Denver Taggart, Gerard Mcalea and Gary Rafferty.
The games come thick and fast with a trip to Ballymacash Rangers this evening (6.45pm) and a home game against Fivemiletown to come next Tuesday evening (8pm).
Every game is a test against sides Mccarthy admits he knows little about.
But he added: “We can only focus on ourselves because I don’t know the opposition until we play them.
“That can be a good thing because you’re not getting bogged down in preparing different systems for different opponents.
“But there is pressure on us because of the calibre of the players we’ve brought in. People are going to be out to stop us and we know that.
“But that’s fine, we’re really excited by the challenge. We have targets that we want to meet and those will stay in-house but we’re focused on achieving those.
“We’re not finished yet with regards recruitment, we’re still talking to a few players, because there is a lot of football to be played this season.
“I was delighted to secure the services of quite a few of last season’s team – Dan Smith scored a tonne of goals so it was great to retain him.
“Denver and Willie were brilliant on Saturday and a lot of these young lads are buzzing to be playing with the calibre of players we have.
“I would love to see the people of Glenavy and the surrounding area come through the doors and give us their support because these are exciting times for Crewe United.”