O Irish League Lithuanian-born striker NEDAS MACIULAITIS

good manager, he just has such an authority over the whole changing room,” said Nedas.

“When he speaks, there is complete silence.”

So, in this most intriguing of Gibson Cup races, what would success look like for Coleraine?

Two years ago, they came agonisingly close to ending the capital’s stranglehold on the title – with just 20 minutes to go on the last day of the season the trophy was in a car heading their way to Mourneview Park, only for a late Crusaders flourish to deny them – so they’ve been in this position before under Kearney.

But it is also true that it’s getting no easier, with Cliftonville resurgent under Paddy Mclaughlin, Larne spoiling to take on the old order, and Glentoran still an unknown quantity, never mind the predictable consistency of the frontrunners, Crusaders and Linfield.

But Nedas, while mindful his team are underdogs, knows in football there’s absolutely no point in being defeatist.

“We definitely want to push on and try and win the league,” he said.

“And obviously I can’t play in the cup games because I’m cup-tied for most of them, but we definitely want to be pushing on to win some cups and qualify for Europe next year.”

Maciulaitis’ family left their home in Ukmerge, Lithuania, the same year they joined the European Union in 2004, with their search for better work opportunities eventually seeing them settle in the Portadown area.

He was only six at the time, so he’s a fully-fledged Ulsterman now, with perfect English and only the slightest residual twang from his early years in the Baltic state.

He commutes twice a week to training, car pooling with his team-mates based in Belfast and the surrounding areas, the likes of Chris Johns, Aaron Traynor and Josh Carson.

Away from football, he is a student at Ulster University in Jordanstown but his career as a business high-flier can wait as he focuses his mind on the main task in hand, firing Coleraine to glory.

“I think we all know as a team that we are good enough to push for the league,” he said.

“But it is so tight in the top six or so that every team has a chance but we’ll be doing the best we can and we’ll have to wait and see.”

LUKE-S GOOD Celebrating a goal with Luke Wilson during his spell at Portadown TOP GUNS In action for League of Ireland high-fliers Dundalk GOAL-DEN BOY Showing his delight after scoring his first goal for Portadown aged 15 CLOSE CONTROL On the ball for Coleraine against Dungannon in this season’s Premiership