IRISH LEAGUE PREVIEW: Warren Feeney says it would be 'immense' to lead Glentoran to title

The Glens crashed out of Europe with a heartbreaking 14-13 penalty shoot-out loss to Maltese outfit Gzira United after dominating proceedings at The Oval and now turn their attention towards league success.

Glentoran have finished third in each of the last three top-flight campaigns but are still chasing a first Gibson Cup triumph since they finished the 2008/09 season one point ahead of rivals Linfield under Alan McDonald.

Feeney took charge of the east Belfast outfit earlier this summer after Rodney McAree stepped down and he has dreams of ending that long wait for glory.

“The European game was disappointing straight after but the amount of people who came up to me in the days afterwards and said it was unlucky...but it wasn’t unlucky,” he said. “We didn’t put the ball in the net when we needed to, so I don’t buy into that.

“My friends have a joke with me about carrying the Gibson Cup down the Newtownards Road...it would be immense to lead this club to their first title since 2009 but we’ve just got to believe.

“I’m not going to say I’m going to do this or that, but we have to slowly build the mentality and the boys have been an absolute credit to work with so far, they are a great bunch.

“They work hard, there are no cliques, I try to get to as many youth games as possible because I don’t want to see Manchester United, Liverpool or Rangers and Celtic shirts, I want to see kids come with their parents to Glentoran games.

“I know the Glentoran fans demand success and we believe we can get this right on the pitch.”

After losing both Terry Devlin and talisman Conor McMenamin to moves across the water this summer, Feeney has recruited smartly by bringing in Daire O’Connor, Josh Kelly, Fuad Sule and Cammy Palmer, while defender Patrick McClean has returned to the club after announcing his retirement in February.

Those additions give Feeney formational flexibility and he’s excited to have the 26-year-old back involved after a number of clubs showed interest in McClean’s services.

“Cammy Palmer had been training with us and had an issue with a thigh strain,” added Feeney. “He will definitely add a freshness to us.

"He’s what we need, we know the quality he’ll add to us.

“Now that we’ve brought Paddy back, playing three at the back is a possibility for us.

“But I’m a big believer in formations don’t win games - players win games.

"Formations can help but it’s about getting your best players on the pitch.

“Paddy is like a new signing...I met him a few weeks before he came back, just me and him and I don’t care what went on before.

“We had three or four clubs on the phone about him and that shows the calibre of player he is...he’s got his head down and he spoke to the boys and apologised to the boys.

“I want a squad that’s competing but I want a squad that’s together, too.”