Glenavon boss Michael O'Connor plotting points return in a bid to avoid the drop
Michael O’Connor says his Glenavon side should be targeting points from their next run of fixtures as they prepare for back-to-back games against Cliftonville.
The Lurgan Blues host the Reds in Premiership action on Saturday afternoon before facing the same opposition seven days later in Irish Cup duty at Solitude.
O’Connor’s men find themselves bottom of the Premiership standings as their quest for survival hangs by a thread – but the Glenavon supremo says their upcoming schedule presents opportunities to pick up points and produce the great escape.
"I haven't looked at the table in a long time,” he said.
"I don't look at it…obviously, I look at the results of the opposition teams on a Saturday or Tuesday.
"I know we just have to keep focussing on the game and trying to get points.
"Obviously, we've got a run of games coming up where I think they're winnable.
"We've got Cliftonville this weekend, we'll go and attack that and try to win that, then we've got the Irish Cup the following weekend.
"But I think in February we've got four or five games of teams around us where it's going to be massive for us.
"If we can go into the split, listen three or four points, maybe close enough where we're playing teams around us, I think we've got a chance.”
O’Connor, who has already added Conor Falls (loan), Nathaniel Ferris (loan), Gavin Gilmore, Mikey Harkin (loan), Charlie Lindsay (loan) and John Mountney to his squad this month, says he is actively looking to bolster his numbers for the crunch part of the campaign.
“I'm still on the phone, still speaking agents and still speaking to players and managers,” he stressed.
"Obviously, if the right player and the right fit comes up for us, yeah, we'll definitely do it.
"I think it's important when you come to this part of the season you want that strength and depth, especially if you've got a Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday schedule, you have to rotate the squad.
"If we can get one or two in, then we will.
"If the squad come end of January has no more additions, I'll still be happy with what we’ve got.”