'If you don't have it, take yourself off': Tim McCann blasts Glentoran players after 'totally unacceptable' performance
Glentoran coach Tim McCann has blasted the club’s players after their “totally unacceptable” 1-1 Premiership draw against Bangor, claiming “too many people aren’t doing their job” – but insists manager Declan Devine “is a fighter” amid growing pressure over his position.
The Glens currently sit eighth in Northern Ireland’s top-flight having picked up just seven points from six matches, and have now failed to win any of their last three.
With owner Ali Pour in attendance at The Oval, Glentoran fell behind after 39 minutes to winless Bangor before James Douglas rescued a point.
The Glens players were booed off the pitch at both half-time and full-time – a reaction McCann fully understands.
"You need to be a strong, courageous individual to play for this club,” said McCann on BBC Sportsound. “We got booed off and rightly so.
"It's completely unacceptable what we're serving up at this moment in time. It feels like a loss because we should be winning.
"You can't play a game with only four or five players trying their best.
"It's totally unacceptable for a Glentoran performance at The Oval with the amount of quality that's on the pitch.
"The owner is over here today and what was served up wasn't befitting a Glentoran team, it wasn't befitting the fans that come and watch it, and it wasn't befitting the owner who has put a lot of money into this.
"I'm bitterly disappointed, I'm angry, and I'm very frustrated, especially at the first half performance.
"We take responsibility, we pick the team and the buck stops with us, but at this moment in time, when you're playing for a club in front of your fans and your owner and you cross that white line, it's your job.
"These are full-time players, this is their job, it's up to them to pull the jersey on, represent it as best they can, and unfortunately there's too many of them not doing that.”
Glentoran now host leaders Coleraine on Tuesday evening and a victory for the Bannsiders would open up a 12-point gap at this early stage.
Speculation will continue to mount over Devine’s position after a poor run of results, but McCann insists the players have to deliver.
"I have no idea (if Devine will be in charge on Tuesday), I can't answer what's inside Declan's head,” added McCann. “Declan Devine is a fighter.
"He has gone out of his way to back a lot of these players.
"I'm not stupid, I know the buck stops with the manager, but sooner or later, players have to take responsibility.
"The goals we're giving away are shocking and it's completely unacceptable...you need a mentality to play for this football club, and if you don't have it, take yourself off.”