Declan Devine is out at Glentoran. An agreement over his departure was finalized Monday, leaving the east Belfast outfit scrambling after a brutal start to the Irish Premiership season. The Glens are currently sitting in eighth place with a mere seven points from their opening six fixtures, and they haven’t won a league game in their past three. Yikes. Devine’s final match, a frustrating 1-1 draw with Bangor at the Oval on Saturday, pretty much sealed his fate. The full-time whistle was met with a chorus of boos from the home faithful, and honestly, can you blame them?
Big Promises, Bigger Disappointment
Devine initially stepped in as interim boss in March 2024 after Warren Feeney got the boot. He was made permanent the very next month and even led Glentoran to the County Antrim Shield in the 2024-25 season, their first piece of silverware in five years. That felt like a turning point, right? But despite significant investment in the squad, the team never climbed higher than third under his leadership. Then came the gut punches: back-to-back defeats in the BetMcLean Cup finals against Cliftonville and Linfield in 2025 and 2026. Owner Ali Pour had warned just Saturday that the pressure was on Devine to deliver, noting he had “the biggest budget of any manager” and a squad he had “hand-picked.” Pour was there for the drab draw against Bangor, hearing those fan boos firsthand. It’s a classic tale: big spending off the pitch, not enough success on it.
A Season Spiraling Out of Control
The writing was on the wall, and it seems last season’s heartbreak might have seeped into this one. Remember how they had control of their own destiny with two games to go, knowing two wins would snatch a first title since 2009? They choked, drawing 0-0 at home to eventual champions Larne, then getting absolutely thumped 6-2 by Coleraine on the final day, losing out on second spot. This season started rough: knocked out of Europe by RFS at the first hurdle, then league losses to rivals Linfield, and back-to-back defeats against Crusaders and Larne. The team’s been hit hard too, losing midfielder Cammy Palmer in the summer, and injuries are piling up. They’re struggling to find a focal point without last season’s top scorer, Pat Hoban. New signing Conor McMenamin needs time to get going, for sure. Devine’s assistant, Tim McCann, said Saturday that the players need to start taking “accountability” for their “unacceptable displays.” That tells you everything you need to know about the mentality right now.
Glentoran now faces Coleraine on Tuesday, and they’re doing it with a huge void at the top. This marks the fourth time they’ve looked for a new manager since January 2023. They still boast a talented squad, but whoever comes in next needs to ignite a massive mental shift. The title race already has ground to make up, and the fans are hungry for a win, hungry for accountability. Let’s see if a new face can finally turn the tide for the Glens.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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