Glentoran star backing new interim manager Declan Devine to help club end turbulent season on a high

Former goalkeeper Devine won the Irish Cup during his playing days at the East Belfast club and is looking to repeat the feat as boss after being handed the reins until the end of this campaign following Warren Feeney’s departure.

The 50-year-old was appointed less than a week after leaving League of Ireland outfit Bohemians and will take charge of his first match on Saturday when Glentoran host Ballymena United.

With an Irish Cup semi-final date with Big Two rivals Linfield coming up and competition success securing European football for next season, O’Connor believes both the team and new temporary chief have a similar mindset of looking to prove people wrong in the business end of this campaign.

"It's been good and intense,” O’Connor said of his first week working with Devine. “He has drilled into us the way he wants us to play and we've been talking about how Ballymena set up and how we're going to break them down.

"He's lost his job at Bohemians so he's in a similar position to us where it's a chance to prove people wrong.

"We're very much in the same boat with him looking to prove people wrong in this new job and we've been criticised and trying to prove them wrong.

"If we can tandem off each other hopefully we can ride that storm together and see where it takes us.

"Declan is experienced and has impressed at his previous clubs.

"He had a tough spell at Bohs but did very well there the year before and was at Derry City.

"I have full faith in him coming in and I think he'll protect and guide us going forward over the next few weeks and that will determine how successful our season will be.

"I loved playing under Feeney...he brought me to the club and I'll always be appreciative of that and I sent him a message saying the same thing.

"Football moves on quickly and we have to deal with it - that's the bottom line."