Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
SMILES BETTER Mcaree still waiting for first win with Coleraine but all he wants is for his players to relax & enjoy their football
NEW boss Rodney Mcaree may still be looking for his first win at Coleraine, but he has urged his boys to start playing with a smile on their face.
Since replacing Oran Kearney last month, Mcaree has watched his team draw with Linfield, Ballymena United and Newry City, which has resulted in them dropping off the pace a the top of the Danske Bank Premiership table.
The former Dungannon Swifts chief believes it’s only a matter of time before the Bannsiders click back into gear.
“It was a strange scenario because I was coming into a winning team,” he said. “Normally when you get an opportunity like this, it’s because the results haven’t been good enough.
“Coleraine were in a very strong position, following on from a great season last term. For the first few weeks it was probably the case of looking at what we have. I now feel a bit more comfortable.
“It was always going to take a bit of time to bed in. The players have got to have faith in me and what I’m trying to do, while I have faith in the players to do what I ask of them.
“The first two games were physically very tough, while Newry have performed well at home, so there a lot of positives to take from all three.
“To be honest, it would probably be easier going to a club that is struggling as opposed to a club that has been flying, but I understood all that before I took on the position. I have faith in my own ability in terms of doing a decent job at the club.”
Mcaree’s troops now face a difficult run of home games, starting with Glenavon at the Ballycastle Road Showgrounds today. They’ll then face Crusaders and Cliftonville.
“Glenavon will be a tough one,” adds Mcaree. “We have home advantage and we have to be positive.
“We have goals in the team . . . we have good players up top, but we haven’t been hurting teams as much as we would have liked over the past few weeks.
“However, we are creating chances which is a big positive. It would be a worry if we were not carving out opportunities. They will turn into goals sooner or later.
“We’ve three tough fixtures coming up,” he adds. “It’s games like that you look forward to – it’s a challenge for me personally and the players.
“It’s important not to become too frustrated after drawing three games. It’s all about everyone staying relaxed and enjoying their football . . . I want the boys to play with a smile on their faces.”
Mcaree will again without the suspended Eoin Bradley – he has still two of a three game suspension to complete – and Josh Carson, because of injury. He joins long term casualty Lyndon Kane in the treatment room.
“Josh has been a big loss,” adds Mcaree. “He had a scan on a knee problem this week, but the results were positive, so hopefully, he’ll be back sooner rather than later.”