Former Glentoran midfielder feels 'recruitment has been a massive problem' with another 'really difficult summer' ahead
Former Glentoran midfielder Shane McCabe feels recruitment has been a “massive problem” for The Oval outfit in recent years and expects another tough window this summer as they attempt to close the gap on their Irish League rivals.
The Glens have already suffered an early blow ahead of next season after losing midfield maestro Fuad Sule and Kodi Lyons-Foster, who were both named in the NIFWA Team of the Year for their performances last season.
Declan Devine’s side ultimately missed out on European football despite sitting second for long stretches of the season and finished 24 points behind ‘Big Two’ rivals Linfield.
McCabe, who also spent time on the books of Dungannon Swifts, was part of the last Glentoran side to win the Premiership title in 2009 and feels errors in the transfer market have contributed to shortcomings on the pitch.
"It's the same old story with Glentoran unfortunately for the last five or six years,” said McCabe. “Recruitment has been a massive problem.
"There's been money handed out to players and it's not the players' fault - that big money can change their lives - but the profiling of them hasn't been good.
"I don't think they've brought in the right calibre of player.
"They've probably lost one of their best players in Sule, who did reasonably well at Glentoran, but I wouldn't get overly carried away with Sule.
"People will say certain signings are unbelievable but I'd disagree, an unbelievable signing is when they help you win the league, an Irish Cup or win something. That would be a signing that worked out well.
"When you sign a player on paper it may look good but does it transpire to be a great signing? Sule was a great player but he didn't drive the club onto the next level.
"Was he provided with the right personnel around him? No, he didn't have the calibre of player he needed and would have had at Larne.
"It's a really difficult summer and I think Declan has a tough job on his hands. He will need to start the season well next year because they really failed to deliver at the business end last season."
McCabe understands the pressures associated with delivering success for one of the country’s biggest teams having spent two-and-a-half years at Glentoran and knows the mentality required to win silverware having also celebrated Irish Cup glory at Glenavon.
With increased investment into the Irish League – Glentoran are one of four full-time teams in Northern Ireland’s top-flight – McCabe believes the pressure has further intensified and feels it takes special characters to stand up to the demands.
"With big contracts comes big pressure and I don't think the Glentoran players that have been recruited over the last number of years have backed it up,” added McCabe. “It's a different kettle of fish once you're playing for the 'Big Two’, Cliftonville or Coleraine now where they demand success all the time.
"Big contracts have been wasted by many clubs so they'll be able to look at if the profile of player was correct and if you look at Coleraine, some of the signings like Levi Ives, Joel Cooper, Ronan Doherty - they've a good nucleus.
"They're dipping into other Irish League clubs which I think is the way to do it.”