COLIN MILLAR IT’S ALL GOING TO PLAN

By Adams praises boss Currie’s drive and patience as early season changes bed in and Carrick put poor start behind them to climb up the table

CARRICK RANGERS are into the Championship top three for the first time this season with first team coach Clifford Adams crediting the “incredible work” of boss Niall Currie.

The East Antrim club have won three games in a row and five of the last six, with Saturday’s 2-0 victory at Portadown holding particular significance for the boss.

Currie was in charge of the Ports last season but could not replicate the managerial successes at his hometown club that he achieved previously at Loughgall and Ards.

“The manager has done incredible work in a very short space of time,” Adams – who, like Currie, arrived at Taylor’s Avenue this summer – told Match On Tuesday.

“Obviously this victory will mean a bit more to the manager coming against his former club but it was testimony to all the hard work from him, the coaches and of course the players.

“At the start of the season it wasn’t all plain sailing and it took everybody a bit of time to gel, not just the players but the coaching staff too.

“Niall had to rebuild the entire squad from scratch because a number of players had decided to move elsewhere, so it was a massive rebuilding job that needed to be done.

“But it’s remarkable how we have a family atmosphere within the group and how everybody is battling for each other.

“John Bailie and John Mcallister are on the coaching staff too and we have a great blend. It’s a mix of ideas but we compliment each other very well and it is fantastic working under Niall.

“After the defeat against Dundela [a 5-0 loss on the second day of the season] we switched to a 3-5-2 formation and it has worked a treat for us.

“Niall is very direct and he’s a real man-manager, he drags the best out of all the players and the coaches working for him – even players who are not playing are motivated.

“Nobody is getting carried away. We know we have a lot of potential but there are realistic expectations here. Everyone at the club realises the circumstances of the club and has patience for what we are working towards.”

Rangers now sit just three points from secondplaced Dundela with a game in hand after two penalties from the in-form

Michael Smith saw them triumph at Portadown.

“The victory was all about the team’s workrate, we battled all over the pitch,” continued Adams.

“It was a performance which matched the levels we are putting into training every week. The amount of work the players are putting in is fantastic.

“The players are putting in every ounce they have and we can’t commend them highly enough, they have been carrying out exactly what we have asked.

“We lost our captain Mark Surgenor after 20 minutes on Saturday, while Lloyd Anderson was unavailable from the previous week.

“There are not players who are shirking away from responsibilities and they all have the right attitude. Stewart Nixon was dying with the cold on Saturday but played and won two penalties.”

Carrick’s place at the top end of the table had not always seemed likely – losing four of their first six league games of the campaign.

“One of the most impressive things is that we keep bouncing back,” Adams, who was first team manager at Ballyclare last year, added.

“There have been bad moments for us this season, especially in the early weeks, but we have not been afraid to make changes and the players have responded brilliantly. After our first two games of the season [which Carrick lost without scoring] the manager came in straight away and made changes.

“He wasn’t afraid to say a few home truths and make changes to the system and to the personnel – players were released and some others were brought in. It’s important now that we keep our feet on the ground and keep up this level which we have set ourselves.”

Whilst the performances of inform attackers Smith and Nixon have caught the eye, the team’s defensive record is also providing the bedrock for their victories.

“Apart from Larne, we have the best defensive record in the league,” analysed Adams. “We already have seven clean sheets this season and we are really pleased with how they are playing together, but we know how easily things can change.

“We lost 3-1 at home to Ballinamallard recently – a game we were in total control of but there was a 10-minute spell where we totally lost concentration.

“But since that game we have not conceded in the three matches since and now we’re playing really well.

“When you look at the players we have there is a lot of quality there – Mark Surgenor is experienced in the top flight, Dan Kelly played his 150th game for the club on Saturday, Reece Neale is just a young kid but plays like a seasoned pro.

“We have Chrissy Rodgers coming in from Ballyclare and Caolan Loughran from Ballymena – there are guys who have a great attitude and it makes for a good atmosphere in training and on matchdays.”