Paddy McCourt hopes Glentoran making manager progress as 'players need it now'

Opposition manager Jim Magilton was identified as Glentoran’s number one target to succeed Devine, but rejected an approach from The Oval outfit earlier in the week.

With an appointment expected ahead of the Glens hosting Carrick Rangers next weekend, former Northern Ireland chief Ian Baraclough has emerged as a serious contender for the vacancy.

McCourt, who served as Devine’s assistant, has been placed in charge on an interim basis alongside Tim McCann as the club’s hierarchy search for an 11th permanent manager since they last won the Premiership title in 2009.

"I genuinely don't know (how close the club is to appointing a new manager),” said McCourt. "I've just been asked to keep the boys going and myself and Tim have been doing that.

"It's not my remit here (to be discussing new managers) so I haven’t asked.

"I hope that they are making progress because I think the players need it now and I think the club needs it now.

"There's seven days between now and the next game, I would imagine something will happen in the next seven days, but if not, then me and Tim will continue to do what we're doing.”

In his parting message, Devine paid special praise to McCourt for his “loyalty, support and friendship” with the pair travelling to Belfast together from Donegal throughout his Glentoran reign.

McCourt believes people will look back fondly on Devine’s tenure, which included reaching consecutive BetMcLean Cup finals and finishing just six points behind champions Larne last season, but understands the pressures faced at a club like Glentoran.

"It's been okay,” McCourt reflected on the past week. “We spoke on Tuesday and I’m gutted for Decky, but Declan is a proud man and he never, ever wanted to be here and outstay his welcome.

"He still speaks fondly about his time as a player here, that was 30-odd years ago.

"I think people will look back and go, ‘you've done a good job and it was a bad period of maybe five or six weeks’, but that's football.

"Declan's a big man. He was the first to text me there by the way, that just shows you the man that he is.

"It’s difficult, but I understand that that's football also.

"We can say, ‘is it harsh? Is it unfair?’ – it's just the way it is, especially if you're at a club that expect to be challenging for honours.

"We aren't stupid, we know we've been backed really well by the club and Ali (Pour, owner) in particular.

"When you have that backing and results don't come over a period, even if it is as short as three or four weeks, then you know these decisions can happen.

"It hurts, but you're also aware when you take jobs that a five or six week bad period can put you under pressure.”