Mick McDermott plays down full-time advantage in busy schedule

But Glentoran boss Mck McDermott feels any of the perceived advantages teams in a full-time set-up have over their part-time counterparts is negated if sides have to play three times a week.

The full-time teams normally have the chance to work with their players on a daily basis, but McDermott says playing Saturday-Tuesday cuts down on their opportunity to work on things.

“We are a full-time team but when playing Saturday-Tuesday then your Monday becomes a light recovery day from Saturday then it’s game prep for Tuesday,” said the Glens boss. “You probably have Wednesday off then Thursday becomes light and Friday it’s 45 minutes out on the pitch.

“So we benefit from more rest but even the part-time teams have something similar in terms of preparation.

“It’s all about the games and that’s brilliant, keep them coming...but we need to train to work on things.”

The Glens should have had plenty of time on the training field as they head into tonight’s BetMcLean League Cup tie at Glenavon having gone nine days since their last competitive fixture. One area McDermott will have hoped to have strengthened will be their defensive set-up.

Glentoran have conceded 11 goals in their seven league games to date but McDermott pointed out there’s a difference defending poorly and bad moments of defending.

“Defensively, when I look at the Crusaders game that was the most disappointing as they sliced us open,” he said.

“Against Linfield, we gave them goals but I don’t think they cut us open and we defended with some structure.

“So there’s a difference between defending poorly and bad moments of defending.”

The Glens got back to winning ways in the previous meeting at Mourneview last week after back-to-back defeats, much to McDermott’s delight.

He said: “It was good to get that win before going into a nine-day period before playing again.”