'It breaks my heart to leave': Glenavon coach to step down due to personal circumstances but 'will definitely be back'
Glenavon first team coach Marty McCann admits “it breaks my heart to leave” after stepping down from his role due to personal circumstances.
McCann, who enjoyed spells in the Irish League as a player at the likes of Cliftonville and Coleraine before moving into coaching, joined the Lurgan Blues alongside Colin Coates when Paddy McLaughlin was appointed manager in November.
The trio helped turn Glenavon’s fortunes around, pulling them well clear of a relegation battle and ultimately finished 14 points clear of Carrick Rangers and 24 better off than relegated Loughgall.
With McLaughlin at the helm, Glenavon won nine and drew four of their last 21 Premiership matches and will be looking to build ahead of next season, already signing Oran O’Kane, Jordan McMullan and Kris Lowe.
McCann previously worked with McLaughlin during their time at Cliftonville before moving into Oran Kearney’s backroom staff at Coleraine and is a highly-regarded coach.
Having made an instant impact at Mourneview Park, McCann has been forced to step away but insists he’ll be back in Lurgan to cheer on a team he enjoyed working with immensely.
“It breaks my heart to leave but I can’t continue at present,” McCann told the club’s website. “Telling Paddy and the rest of the backroom staff was very difficult because I have enjoyed my time at Mourneview so much.
“The moment I walked through the door I felt nothing but warmth and friendliness.
"I knew immediately that it was a family club with lots of good people. Of course, the fact that the team started to win games helped, but I just felt at home from the start.
“When we arrived the players’ heads were a bit down, but we soon got them lifted and after that the atmosphere was right. They are a great bunch. It was a pleasure to work with them.
“I will definitely be back. In fact, I will be at Mourneview Park two or three times before Christmas to see everyone again.
"I have played for eight clubs and coached at five – Glenavon is right up there amongst my very best experiences.”
Irish League legend Coates, who won three Premiership titles and made almost 600 appearances for Crusaders, has taken his first step into coaching at Glenavon and McCann is backing the former Cliftonville defender to be a roaring success.
“He is one of the most well respected figures in the game,” he added. “He is very good with people.
"He treats them the right way. You don’t have to be with him for too long to understand what he is about. He is an all-round class act.
“He is intelligent and eager to learn. He wants to be as well equipped as he can be to do well. Like Paddy he loves football and has the right mentality. He will go far.
“The three of us gelled well together. Paddy is so straightforward.
"He is exactly how he appears the first time you meet him. He is obsessed with football and is desperate for his club and his players to do well.
"He brings great energy to everything he does. It is infectious.
“He also tries to play the game the way it should be played. He encourages players to get the ball down and move it quickly.
"He wants defenders to defend as if their lives depend on it and forwards to be positive and brave. It is not a complicated philosophy.”