Glentoran assistant boss plays down ‘crisis talk’ after back-to-back defeats
Tim McCann insists Glentoran needed to get back to winning ways against Ballymena united on Saturday to put an end to any crisis talk at The Oval.
Back-to-back defeats in the League and Co Antrim Shield had left a few questions being fired towards the men from the east.
But McCann has seen it all before he says it’s all about blocking out the outside noise and focusing on the job in hand starting with the 2-0 win over the Sky Blues.
“It was not that we wanted a win, we needed a win, because apparently already there’s a crisis at The Oval because we lost two games,” said the Glentoran assistant boss.
“I mean, you’ve just got to drown out the noise. No matter what club you’re at, especially if you’re at one of the Big Two, if you’re at a club that’s expected to win all the time, there are going to be people looking in from the outside. But we’re trying to put that noise away.
“What I’ve been trying to say and what Decky [Devine] has been saying is, you know, this is a different bunch of lads. There’s a real good mentality down there, there’s a lot of leaders down there.
“There’s a lot of pride within the group, you know, we’re not a bunch of kids. So when things are said outside, it does get to the players and hurts them.
“I think it showed today in the game and what it meant to them and the work that they put in. We probably could have made it a little bit easier for ourselves, maybe could have went in two or three up at half-time.
“But, listen, it wasn’t to be and we just slogged on. And to be fair to Ballymena, you know, there was a 10 or 15 minute period in the second half where they had a real go. And probably only for Andrew Mills, it could have been 1-1 at one stage.
“But lucky enough, we got the second goal and killed the game off.”
After losing top spot to Coleraine following last week’s defeat at Dungannon Swifts the Glens remain two points off top spot following the weekend fixtures and McCann knows there’s plenty of football to be played.
“I have no doubt about the quality of the squad and the mentality of the squad, but, again, it’s about keeping everybody fit,” he said.
“It’s about riding your luck when you’re under pressure, and it’s about taking the right moments.
“It’s about overcoming adversity and defeats, and how you bounce back from them, because, I have to say this is one of the strongest leagues I can remember for a while. Because there are no gimmies.
“Everybody can beat everyone. And I think, as you’ve seen on Friday night, Portadown were excellent. You can’t switch off in this league for a minute. You have to be on your game for up to the 95th, 96th minute in every single game.”
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