'Way too strong': Former Coleraine manager feels club 'by far the favourites' for Irish League title glory
Former Coleraine manager Dean Shiels believes the Bannsiders are “by far the favourites to win the title” this term and predicts they’ll be “too strong” for their rivals over the course of an Irish League campaign.
Coleraine entered the 2026/27 Premiership season priced as favourites with bookmakers to claim a first Gibson Cup crown since 1974 and mark their centenary year in style.
After four matches, Ruaidhri Higgins’ side are sitting pretty at the summit with no team scoring more (eight) or conceding fewer (one) among the sides who have played an equal amount of games.
Coleraine continued their unbeaten start with a comfortable 3-0 win over Portadown on Friday night with Matthew Shevlin amongst the goals.
Shevlin and Joel Cooper, who combined to devastating effect last term, have been joined at The Showgrounds by Northern Ireland international Conor McMenamin, although the former Glentoran ace has yet to start a league match.
They’ve also been linked with a record-breaking move for Crusaders striker Adam Brooks ahead of the transfer window closing on Tuesday.
Shiels was manager at the start of Coleraine’s journey into full-time football before being replaced by Higgins in April 2025 – just a matter of days before a European play-off fixture.
Higgins led the Co Londonderry club to Irish Cup glory last term and a second-placed Premiership finish, ending three points adrift of Larne.
However, Shiels, who was also previously in charge of Dungannon Swifts, believes Coleraine will go one better this time around and can’t see his former side being stopped.
"They’re the outstanding team, the outstanding squad,” said Shiels on BBC Sportsound. “I think Coleraine are by far the favourites to win the title – of course.
"When you put Shevlin, McMenamin and Cooper in any team in the league, I think they have to be favourites.
"They’re riddled with quality throughout, they have the finances to compete.
"I know from being at the club that their whole objective was to win the league on the centenary year and they’ve gone all out to do that.
"If Coleraine are about (the top) in January they’ll just go again in the transfer market and they’ll be way too strong over the course of 38 games.”