New Glentoran boss Ferguson pledges all‑out effort for club
Duncan Ferguson, the 54‑year‑old former Everton striker, has been appointed manager of Irish League side Glentoran on a multi‑year deal, the club announced on Monday. Glentoran have not lifted the league trophy since 2009 and currently sit 11 points behind leaders Coleraine in the Irish Premiership.
At a press conference Ferguson said, “I’ll give the club everything and I expect the players to give everything as well.” He added, “Hopefully we can compete with the teams at the top of the league and get a bit closer to them. At the minute we’re bit adrift of the top two or three.” The new manager promised an attacking style, noting, “I’ll bring a football team that will really run, run and run. I’ll push them as hard as I can and set them up tactically well. Defensively we have been very good but we’ve lacked in creating chances so hopefully we can play attacking football.”
Ferguson’s playing career included spells as a towering striker with Everton, Dundee United and Newcastle United. His managerial résumé features roles at Forest Green Rovers and Inverness Caledonian Thistle, as well as periods as assistant manager at Everton under Carlo Ancelotti and Rafael Benítez and two stints as caretaker boss.
Glentoran have poured significant investment into the club in recent years, backed by owner Ali Pour, and have adopted a full‑time professional model, yet the team has struggled to mount a serious title challenge. Ferguson said he seized the opportunity to return to football after a two‑year hiatus, adding, “It’s a great chance for me to get into football. I’ve been out of football for two years. I didn’t know if was going to get back in or do television work but it’s a great chance for me.”
He expressed confidence in the club’s financial support, stating, “They’ve got ambition. I spoke to the owner Ali [Pour] and they’ve got the ambition to get this club back to what it was before. I know they haven’t won a title in 17 years. I’m a people person and when I met him we got on – I think we’ll get the backing from him as he’s backed the club for the last number of years.”