CLIFTONVILLE manager Jim Magilton acknowledges that the fixtures don’t get any easier as the Reds prepare to host Larne at Solitude this evening (kick-off 7.45pm).
The North Belfast side will be hoping to pick up their first three points of the campaign against the Inver Reds, whose preparation has been thrown into chaos as late as yesterday evening when manager Nathan Rooney left the club by mutual consent.
Rooney was appointed as Larne boss following the departure of Tiarnan Lynch to Derry City, but the Englishman was unable to take over after it was discovered he did not hold the relevant UEFA Pro-Licence to take on the role and he was instead made Director of Football for the remainder of the 2024-2025 with Gary Haveron taking charge.
He officially took over the manager's role back in May and guided Larne to the third qualifying round of the Europa Conference League, but exited at the hands of Portuguese club Santa Clara. Haveron will take on the caretaker role again until a permanent successor is appointed, however it is less than ideal preparation for the East Antrim outfit.
Despite the upheaval, Magilton is expecting a difficult encounter against their visitors this evening.
“It doesn't get any easier,” said Magilton. “They will be well rested and looking forward to coming here. Again, we just have to present ourselves and show the same sort of attitude and mentality that we showed today.
“We will have to utilise the squad, we will have a countdown over and we will be ready for Tuesday night”.
The Reds will be without Rhyss Campbell and Luke Conlon for this evening's game after both were forced off in the weekend's 0-0 draw with Coleraine, and Magilton isn’t confident they will be returning any time soon.
“Rhyss is probably a major injury,” he revealed. “Luke looks as if he has a major injury. For us, we can’t carry a massive squad anyway and they are two big losses. We have to utilise the squad now, it is game two and it's a bit early to lose players of that quality and calibre.
Reflecting on their scoreless draw with the Bannsiders, Magilton felt there was a slight nervousness coming off the back of their opening day defeat at Bangor but was pleased with debutants PJ Morrison in goals and on-loan Sunderland wing-back Thomas Lavery.
“Ryan [Curran] has had a great chance, and we brought Eric on to exploit his pace because they [Coleraine] were defending high,” Magilton recalled.
“We had real moments, and we were a little bit careless. There was a nervousness, and that’s probably based on last week and the attention that brings and the attention every week it brings if you don’t win a game here.
“The resolve they showed – Thomas coming in on his debut, PJ coming in on his debut – and again they are big games and these lads proved today that they can handle it”.
The 56-year-old also joked about the process of trying to persuade youngsters like Lavery to come to the club on loan, though he does feel that the fans and the atmosphere play a key role in selling the project to them.
“We have to hypnotise them, bamboozle them” he joked. “A lot of these lads now recognise Cliftonville, given the last couple of years – they see the razzmatazz, and that is appealing.
“Our fans are outstanding when it comes to cup finals and you talk to them about that. The fans stayed with us against Coleraine, we weren’t fantastic in terms of the ball but we showed real character and determination.
“That’s the one thing that Cliftonville supporters demand. We didn’t do it against Bangor to an extent, we did on Saturday and we have to replicate that for the next 36 games.
“It’s very difficult in the league, given the quality of the opposition. We are a good side, a really good side on our day too and they deserve so much praise on Saturday for their performance.
