Michael O'Connor admits last two Glenavon performances 'real eye-opener for me' with 'big changes coming'
Glenavon manager Michael O’Connor admits his side’s last two Premiership performances “have been a real eye-opener for me” – but insists they’ll continue fighting to preserve their top-flight status.
The Lurgan Blues have won five of their nine home league matches since O’Connor took over from Paddy McLaughlin in October, but remain 10 points adrift at the bottom.
Seven of Glenavon’s 12 Premiership defeats under the former Northern Ireland international have been by only one goal, but last week’s pair of showings in losses to Carrick Rangers and Linfield has left O’Connor with cause for concern.
O’Connor’s men lost 2-1 away to Carrick, suffering their 14th consecutive defeat on the road this season, before leaking three goals as the Blues collected only their fourth win on their travels this term at Mourneview Park.
Glenavon are quickly running out of matches in their fight to survive the drop and extend a 21-year consecutive stay in Northern Ireland’s top-tier.
The Co Armagh club only have 10 league fixtures remaining, starting with Saturday’s trip to Bangor, and O’Connor was clear “there’ll be big changes coming” for the clash at Clandeboye Park.
O’Connor accused his side of “going through the motions” in last weekend’s 3-0 defeat to Linfield and insists that won’t be accepted.
"I can try my best to motivate them, but we just look like a team...from the start of the season, it's just carried on and on,” he said. "I thought I was getting a tune out of the boys since we came in, we were playing well but not picking up results, but (against Linfield), we didn't play well, we didn't pick up a result.
"Carrick as well, we were awful at Carrick, so the last two games have been a real eye-opener for me.
"But yeah, listen, I'll keep working hard and keep trying to get something out of the boys to get us points on the board.
"There'll be big changes coming (against Bangor).
"It's not just making mistakes, players are going to make mistakes, it happens in football, but I can't have players go through the motions where we are in the league.
"We need everyone sticking together, doing the hard work, earning the right to play, and we just didn't do that (against Linfield).”