First interview as Glentoran's Declan Devine delivers message to the fans with call for 'harmony'

Devine, a former Derry City and Bohemians manager who won silverware as a Glentoran player in the 1990s, was announced on Saturday morning to fill the vacancy following Friday’s news of a Warren Feeney exit “by mutual consent” after nine months as Oval boss.

Devine was watching from the Stangmore Park stands on Saturday afternoon as his new Glens players defeated Dungannon Swifts by 3-0 and he offered his thoughts on the match and short-term goals at Glentoran after the final whistle.

“I thought it was very good – a lot of impressive performances, we started the game with a real intensity about us,” said Devine on BBC Radio Ulster in his first media interview after the appointment confirmation. "I encouraged the players before the game to go and showcase their talent and, thankfully, they done that...scored a few good goals.

"Pleasing thing for me was in the last four or five minutes of the game we’ve players throwing bodies on the line to keep a clean sheet and come away with three points.”

Devine described Glentoran as “a massive football club” and the manager opportunity just days after his departure from Bohemians in the League of Ireland as “an absolute no-brainer”.

The Glens now sit fourth in the Sports Direct Premiership table and have a Clearer Water Irish Cup semi-final against Linfield to come later this month.

"Pressure in football’s a privilege, I’ve always maintained that,” said Devine. "Whenever the club is the size and magnitude of Glentoran there’s always going to be pressure but, ultimately, I get a phone call and I’m here to help.

"That’s my job...I’m looking forward to the next six, seven, eight weeks and that’s basically where my remit is.

"I think there’s a very, very talented squad of players here, lots of potential in terms of having a semi-final coming then the split and there’s a lot to play for.

"Even though I’ve been involved in the League of Ireland the last numbers of years I keep a very close eye on what’s happening in the Irish League.

"I’ve watched a lot of games, I see a lot of the talent.

"A lot of talent here at the club that, with the right guidance and the right push, can hopefully have a good end to the season.”

He added on the short-term appointment until the close of the current campaign that “I think it suits everybody”.

“I feel I can be an asset to the club over the course of the next two months,” he said. "Hopefully we can prove that and, hopefully, we can get a bit of harmony and, hopefully, push on and have a good end.

"I just want harmony – I want the players to respond to the fans, I want the fans to respond to the players.

"If everybody’s pulling in the one direction we can have a really good end to the season.

"It’s the duty of myself, the players and everybody connected to the club to put on a show whenever the fans pay their hard-earned money.

"But we need the fans to get behind them…I know what the club means to the fans, I know what the players are capable of.

"Hopefully if everybody’s singing off the same hymn sheet and pulling in the one direction there’s no reason why it can’t be a decent end to the season.”