'No fear' mindset challenge set down as first-time boss attempts to rescue Irish League basement club
Glenavon boss Michael O’Connor wants to take the handbrake off his players in the race to senior safety.
Having lost 11 consecutive top-flight league games under the previous management regime but now with two wins from four since O’Connor’s arrival, the Lurgan Blues look up from bottom of the table with renewed optimism.
Kicking off his career as senior boss with a defeat of Carrick Rangers at Mourneview Park, O’Connor doubled his league win tally last weekend with a convincing 3-1 triumph over high-flying Glentoran.
Now O’Connor must move past home comforts and hit the road for a trip around 30 miles in distance between two clubs separated in the standings by a single space and seven points inside the relegation zone.
Another win this weekend – against a Crues side with two games in hand over Glenavon – would increase momentum in any against-the-odds mission to beat the drop.
With every matchday presenting opportunity to post a much-needed points boost or suffer another morale blow, O’Connor is aware of both the risks and rewards.
"You have to be brave in this game...the attacking players we've got, we can score on any day,” said O’Connor. “We had that attacking edge (against Glentoran).
"We could have brought two defenders on and just sat in the last 10 minutes when we brought Mick (O'Connor) and Corey (Smith) on but I thought 'no, we'll try and get another one here'.
"At times they've looked nervous, like they don't want to try things (but) I've always told them you can't play with fear in football.
"You play with fear, it's going to suck you in...(against Glentoran) the boys played with no fear.
"Listen, everyone makes mistakes, if you have it in your head, you're playing with fear.
"Do I get the ball here? Do I play a pass?
"You can't play like that, you can't do that.
"The boys are taking that on board.
"That's the biggest thing (confidence)...when I came in, you could see the boys running low in confidence.
"You lose 11 league games on the bounce you're going to be low in confidence.
"So it's about giving the boys a clean slate and let them go out and make mistakes on the pitch...that's how you learn.”
Now O’Connor’s message is “more of the same” for the Belfast visit and beyond.
“It's more of the same, don't be dropping standards,” said O’Connor, now in Irish League management following a playing career which featured Northern Ireland caps and 15 years within England’s professional club scene. "I'm loving it (management)...it's just different.
"As an assistant manager you don't have as much pressure on you.
"Everything that happens on the pitch, obviously, the team you pick, what subs you bring on, how you set up, corners, everything...it's all on you now as a manager.”
Last night’s Sports Direct Premiership game between Glentoran and Carrick Rangers was confirmed postponed by Northern Ireland Football League officials following a pitch inspection at The Oval.
Testing conditions at the Glentoran venue following heavy rain proved visible on Thursday night when the Belfast ground played host to Northern Ireland under 21s’ European Championship qualifier against Latvia.