Nathan Rooney looking to 'hit the ground running' after Larne managerial return
Nathan Rooney wants to “hit the ground running” after his reappointment as Larne boss was confirmed with Gary Haveron returning to an assistant manager role ahead of next season.
Rooney was announced as Tiernan Lynch’s successor in November with owner Kenny Bruce saying the Inver Reds had landed their “number one target”, but it later emerged the former Bruno Magpies chief didn’t hold the required licence to lead Larne in their Conference League campaign.
A restructure at Inver Park resulted in Rooney taking on a new Head of Football position while Haveron, who previously managed at Carrick Rangers and Glentoran, was promoted to head coach.
Haveron led Larne to arguably their most famous win having defeated Belgian outfit KAA Gent to become the first Irish League team to record a victory in the Conference League while he also secured a return to European football for next term, finishing last season in second.
He will remain a key part of the coaching staff, but having enrolled on his UEFA Pro Licence course, Rooney can now step back into the top job at the County Antrim outfit.
The 35-year-old, who previously spent time in the academies of Blackburn Rovers and Fleetwood Town, will resume control ahead of this summer’s Conference League first round qualifier.
“It has been a great pleasure to have worn the Larne badge over the last seven months, working closely with the board of directors, the talented group of players and all the technical staff for both the senior and scholarship teams who have shown so much enthusiasm and passion every day,” said Rooney.
“It has been a period of change for us all, including our amazing fanbase, who has continued to bring the noise and energy to every matchday since my arrival.
"I appreciate all of you and it’s our job as a group to continue working hard to achieve new goals whilst working smartly through both the smooth and difficult times.
“I want to express my thanks to Gary Haveron who has been a great professional to work alongside and his work ethic to keep pushing the team has been second to none – I thank him for his support throughout this period.
"Gary will continue to play a major role as an experienced professional who is highly thought of in the local area and the Irish Premiership.
“Our job now is to hit the ground running in pre-season, develop our younger players, implement a playing style which can be exciting to watch and provide an energy which brings us all together on and off the pitch and we will see where it takes us.”
Larne chairman Gareth Clements also paid tribute to Haveron for leading the club through a period of change and admits he’s excited for the future under Rooney.
“We are delighted to have Nathan taking up the reins as first team boss,” he said. “That last number of months have allowed Nathan to do a lot of the groundwork across the whole club and we’re now looking forward to having him lead all aspects of our senior men’s team.
“We are very excited to see how Nathan will shape the playing squad as pre-season preparations get underway in the coming weeks.
“On behalf of everyone at the club, I want to express our sincere gratitude to Gary Haveron for how he stepped up to lead first team affairs since the middle of December.
"Clinching automatic European qualification at the end of a 60-game season, with all the demands placed on the team this season domestically and in Europe, was a huge achievement.”