CLIFTONVILLE manager Jim Magilton admits that winning finals means the world to him as he attempts to win a third trophy in his third season at the club.
Having already delivered an Irish Cup and Bet McLean Cup from his first two seasons in charge at Solitude, Magilton will be hoping to lift the County Antrim Shield when they face Carrick Rangers at Seaview on Tuesday evening (7.45 kick-off).
It is the second time the sides have met in four-days with Carrick coming from behind on Saturday to claim a 4-1 win at Solitude, with the Reds boss adamant they are focused on putting things right.
“Winning finals means the world to me,” admits Magilton.
“I want to win everything and I haven’t shunned away from that. Going into a final, it is about winning, it's always about winning and that’s all that matters to me."
On their disappointing weekend collapse, Magilton didn’t feel that there was maximum effort given and called for the players to reflect on whether they could have done more.
“At half-time, the very least our supporters expect when you put on that shirt is to put on maximum effort” he insisted. “I never doubt the players don’t, but there needs to be a perception that you are prepared to do that and I didn’t feel that at times.
“I think certain individuals really have to look themselves in the mirror and say, could I have done more, did I give it all?.
“That is the same every week I suppose, but when you lose a game it is heightened. We haven't got time to dwell on it.
New boy Healy scored his second goal in Reds colours on Saturday
“We’ve a County Antrim Shield Final against the same opposition – who will be licking their lips. They dominated us (on Saturday)”.
Magilton believes that Carrick and manager Stephen Baxter will approach Tuesday’s final in the same way they did on Saturday and acknowledged they deserve immense credit for their performance.
“They’ve better memories than us and we have to stand up and be counted on Tuesday night, there is no getting away from that.
“They are going to come and approach the game in exactly the same manner. Stephen deserves immense credit – as does his players. They dominated the game after what was a pretty shaky start.
“We played really well, we passed the ball really well and they were chasing shadows. When they sorted themselves out we had no answers. That was the scary aspect of that because we have a set of standards at this football club and we fell well below them once the goals started going in."
Reflecting on past defeats like the weekend, Magilton doesn’t believe that what a manager says to try and pick players up is important and instead feels it is down to the individual to stand up and be counted.
“If I reflect on my experiences when this has happened (big defeats), I don't need a manager,” he reflected.
“I certainly didn’t need a manager to convince me that I have to do better. As a manager, no matter how you rant or say as little as possible; it doesn’t really matter.
“It comes down to the individual and if an individual doesn’t stand up and be counted after that then we are in serious trouble."
