CLIFTONVILLE manager Jim Magilton has promised personnel changes to his squad in an attempt to avoid a third straight Premiership defeat when they welcome table-topping Glentoran to Solitude on Friday evening (7:45pm kick-off).
The Reds are hoping to get back on track as they look to rectify last Saturday's late defeat at the hands of Portadown.
Magilton has stressed that the form cannot continue if the Reds are hoping to have a chance of a great season.
“I’ve been in situations before where that has a knock-on effect,” Magilton said.
“That has an effect on the manager – regardless of what stock they have. Those performances can’t continue. It’s as simple as that.
“It’s either personnel changes – which it will be – it has to be, because people get opportunities and if they don’t take them then unfortunately those opportunities don’t come along.
“We threw in Sheridan and threw in McCay, we’re trying to get us a little bit of life and energy and those two lads are great lads and will have their time here. If you look at our senior players in that group today, they just didn’t do enough.”
The Reds boss doesn’t feel they are experiencing confidence issues, accepting full responsibility for the recent poor form.
The Reds coach was disappointed with his side's lacklustre performance against Dungannon Swifts which brought a four game winning streak to a halt.
“We’d won four games on the trot before going to Dungannon. Against a Dungannon team who haven't won games, it was so disappointing to have that first half display.
“The second half, very loosely we expected the team down to ten-men to have that reaction and show commitment to try and get back into the game which they sort of way did.
“Today, there are absolutely no excuses for that performance other than the manager picked the team, so the manager has to take full blame for that.
"Okay, they cross the white line; the manager can’t control when they give the ball away or poor decision-making but ultimately, the buck stops with the manager.”
Rory Hale and Jonny Addis will return to squad on Friday evening after missing the weekend defeat to Portadown through suspension, but Magilton again refused to use their absence as an excuse for their setback.
The Reds suffered a last minute defeat to Portadown last weekend
“It also gives other people an opportunity to stake a claim.” Magilton claimed. “When you look at the game overall, you can’t give the passion in people – it is driven from within, it is driven from you personally as an individual.
“Despite the valiant effort of an Odhran Casey, we were limp. They (Portadown) set up to hit us on the counterattack. Organisationally, if you look at the two goals, it’s schoolboy, and that’s what hurts us most."
Magilton was frustrated with Saturday's end to the game believing it to be foolishness which cost them a point right at the death.
“Casey could do better with the second one, but he’s trying to win the game and he makes a poor decision and they capitalise. We’re all over the place at this stage. We’re pressing to win the game but it's a game you don’t lose.
“You draw the game and then the unsavoury incident at the end mars that and they come away with three points”.
Cliftonville v Glentoran will be streamed live on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport NI website from 7.45pm on Friday.
