Former Glentoran midfielder Shane McCabe feels the club’s star-studded squad need to deliver for manager Declan Devine – and insists “serious questions would be asked” if The Oval outfit were to suffer a third consecutive Premiership defeat this weekend.

The Glens have lost three of their opening five league matches of this term and endured back-to-back 2-1 losses against Crusaders and Larne.

Title favourites Coleraine have already opened up a gap of seven points at this very early stage – and could boost that further if they defeat rivals Ballymena United on Friday night before Glentoran host Bangor the following day.

The run of poor results will only increase intense pressure around the Glens, who are looking to end the club’s 18-year Gibson Cup wait in 2027 – McCabe was part of the club’s last title-winning squad.

placeholder image — Glentoran have suffered consecutive Premiership defeats. (Photo by Andrew McCarroll/Pacemaker Press)

McCabe is well aware of the expectation levels at one of the Irish League’s powerhouses – and insists the tide needs to turn quickly.

"If they lose on Saturday, you would see a lot of the great fans that they have there really being angry and asking ‘where is the club going?’,” said McCabe. “I had fully expected Glentoran to really push on, but listen, it is only the start of the season.

"Having played there and understanding what the demands are, you can't be going on losing streaks, especially when there's a big expectation of you to really push and challenge for the title.

"They're already seven points behind Coleraine, so it's a worrying, worrying time.

“As much as you hate putting managers under more pressure, Decky knows himself what the requirements are – you can't continue to lose games.

"If they were to lose three games on the spin, serious, serious questions would be asked of what direction this team is going in.”

In Larne’s three Premiership title-winning runs across the past four seasons, the Inver Reds lost just five matches in both 2022/23 and 2025/26, and were remarkably defeated only twice in 2023/24.

Linfield lost seven league matches on their way to winning the Gibson Cup by 22 points in 2024/25, showing there’s little room for an extended period of poor form for clubs holding title ambitions.

McCabe believes the responsibility for getting Glentoran out of their current predicament should fall on the players.

"Without a shadow of a doubt, it's about the players,” added McCabe. “The more I look at them and watch them, it's the players that are really letting Decky and the guys down.

"You need to really stand up in these big moments.

"They've invested heavily, brought big players in like (Conor) McMenamin, (Aaron) McEneff, (Pat) Hoban, they're all big players and they’ve experience in the likes of Marcus Kane, James Singleton has been there a long time.

"They know what it takes in this league, and they have the ability, but it’s on them now.

"Decky can do no more...people will talk about formations and tactical decisions, it's on the players, he has some real quality players who need to start winning matches – and winning matches quickly.”