'Go and be brave' - Michael O'Connor's rally cry to follow up spectacular end to Irish League 11-game losing run with 'standards they've set'
After the spectacular comes the standard.
That’s the ambition of Glenavon manager Michael O’Connor in the aftermath of marking his first Premiership game in charge by bringing to an end the 11-game losing streak.
A memorable 1-0 win over Carrick Rangers must now become more than the ‘new manager bounce’ as the Lurgan Blues bid to mount a rise out of the relegation zone that sits after 12 fixtures with O’Connor’s squad chasing an eight-point deficit having played two games more than those above.
O’Connor, a former Northern Ireland international can draw on significant playing experience in England and a concentrated plan since returning home to climb the coaching ladder towards a role as main man in the dug-out.
That defeat of Carrick was constructed off a single team session in the aftermath of O’Connor’s appointment and now, armed with a full week’s training schedule, Glenavon make the short journey to tackle Dungannon Swifts.
"That's the standards they've set themselves and we cannot let it drop below now,” said O’Connor, who feels “I’ve earned my stripes” off a coaching path towards his first senior boss role. "When you've lost 11 (league) games you're low on confidence, you want to keep the ball away from your goal.
"But as we go on and, hopefully, pick up more points we'll start getting more around in possession with how we want to play.
"I watched the other week's Portadown game and as soon as they (Portadown) scored everyone's heads dropped...they looked scared, they looked nervous.
"I told them (before facing Carrick) I don't care if you give the ball away as along as you do the right things.
"Go and be brave, go get on the ball, go run in behind, go win your battles...they did everything.
“I did think we looked dangerous (against Carrick), a few moments where the final ball couldn't make it look like a big chance...that will come with confidence and more wins will start players believing.
"I've been involved in teams where you've lost seven, eight, nine, 10 games on the bounce.
"The only way you can get out of it is by sticking together and keep working hard.”