'We will talk with them at the weekend' - Candidate tipped as favourite confirms next step in manager job hunt for back-to-back champions
Gary Haveron celebrated Larne’s first win of the Premiership season on Friday night – then confirmed plans for weekend talks over the permanent position as manager.
A 4-0 success over Portadown featured Matthew Lusty and Tiarnan O’Connor on the scoresheet alongside a Mark Randall brace on an evening that featured two penalty kicks.
However, post-match talks also centred on the successor to Nathan Rooney as Larne boss following Monday’s shock exit that left Haveron in a second successive spell as interim boss with his hometown club.
The News Letter reported this week that Haveron’s work across various roles has resulted in numerous admirers within the Larne set-up to the point sources indicate he is front-runner for the position.
"I've been at the club eight years and I've loved every second...it has been unbelievable learning under Tiernan (Lynch) and briefly Nathan," Haveron was quoted on BBC Sport NI. "I am enjoying preparing the boys for games but the owners will decide what they want to do and we'll try to move forward.
"We will talk with them at the weekend and any role they ask me to do I will do."
On the win, Haveron highlighted the importance of Randall in midfield. "We knew the importance of the game and to get three points," he said on BBC Sport NI. "When we got the first one it settled us, then the second from a well-worked set- piece and credit to Alan Manus for that as he works on our attacking set-pieces.
"Mark Randall was a joy to watch all night then he dispatched the penalty and the fourth was the icing on the cake."
Randall opted to hand over penalty duties to O’Connor over grabbing the opportunity for his hat-trick.
"Mark is not about personal accolades,” said Haveron. “Whatever is right for the team he will do...when Tiarnan lifted the ball Mark was happy to let him hit it."