Ruaidhri Higgins faith in 'smashing players' as Coleraine boss gets ready for high-stakes first game with European play-off semi-final

The former Bannsiders player is back at The Showgrounds as boss and will step into the Coleraine dug-out for a first fixture with European football at stake.

Having replaced Dean Shiels last week, Higgins has had little time to adjust to life in the Coleraine camp ahead of a visit by Crusaders in the European play-off semi-finals.

Victory would push Coleraine into a weekend clash on Sunday with either Glentoran or Cliftonville to claim the Irish League’s closing UEFA Conference League spot.

The early reward of European football would kick off Higgins’ first summer in style.

Speaking to press last Friday following his official confirmation as Coleraine boss, Higgins highlighted the importance of goals “short, medium and long-term” but also was happy to praise the standard on show within the current camp.

"You want to be part of big games, that's what we're in it for,” said Higgins in anticipation of his high-profile start. "It's a huge game...it's something to really whet the appetite and look forward to.

"You have to have short, medium and long-term (goals). The short-term is can we get ourselves into Europe?

"We definitely have the quality to do that...long-term there's already a really good culture in place here the way it's set up, there was good work done previously so we just need to build on that and take the club to the next level.

"Coming off this morning (training), the standard was really, really good and if we can continue that over the next week, 10 days, 12 days, whatever it is then we give ourselves a really good chance.

"You want to be part of clubs who are ambitious, you want to be part of clubs who want to be successful.

"This club definitely wants success...but you have to take it in stages as well.

"You have to compete first, unsettle the teams above you and then the next stage is winning...it's step-by-step.

"But I'm very confident, there's a lot of smashing players.

"I'm very, very familiar with all the players...there's a really good core group here.

"It's nice coming into a really stable football club with a lot of players you already want to work with.