Glentoran manager Warren Feeney says criticism from fans over his appointment is like “water off a duck’s back” as he looks to bring “the glory days” back to the east Belfast club.
As a former player-manager for the club’s arch-rivals Linfield, his arrival at the Oval sparked a negative reaction among some Glentoran fans.
But Feeney says he is determined to get the fans behind him and the players.
“I know it’s going to take a little bit of time but it doesn’t bother me,” the former Northern Ireland striker told BBC Sport Northern Ireland.
“I was at Cardiff-Swansea and that’s the worst derby I’ve seen in my life. I love getting talked about and from the other side I am being talked about, but I’m here to do a job for Glentoran.”
Feeney, 42, was most recently in charge of National League South side Welling United, having previously been at Ards and OFC Pirin Blagoevgrad, who he led to promotion to the Bulgarian top flight in 2021.
His managerial career started at Glentoran’s Big Two rivals Linfield in 2014, leading the Blues to a second-place finish in the Irish Premiership in his first full season at Windsor Park.
“People seem to forget, I went into Linfield when they hadn’t won the league in three years,” added Feeney, who left the Blues to become assistant manager of then League Two side Newport County in October 2015.
“Finished second in my first season, changed it up, left and I won’t go into why when we were top of the league, so it doesn’t bother me.
“I’m employed by this football club. If I didn’t think this was right and if I wasn’t brave enough, believe me I wouldn’t take it.”
On criticism, he said: “It’s like water off a duck’s back. I want the fans buzzing. There’s going to be criticism and I understand that.
“But I want to get these fans behind me and behind the players, and that’s the first and foremost, the players.”
Glentoran endured a turbulent 2022-23 season with McAree replacing Mick McDermott as boss in January after a run of one win in 10 Premiership games.
McAree led the club to a third-place finish and secured Europa Conference League qualification through the play-offs but returned to Dungannon Swifts on Monday after resigning from his role at Glentoran.
When asked if he will require a thick skin as he attempts to re-establish Glentoran as title contenders, Feeney said: “You have to. Football now can be a lonely place. The hype and the talk on social media, people get excited but it doesn’t worry me.
“But I’m glad, I hope they keep talking about me if it’s bad or good for the next 10 years.”
‘My aim is to end Glentoran’s wait for title’
Glentoran have not won the Irish Premiership title since 2009 with Linfield, Cliftonville, Crusaders and Larne all having triumphed since the east Belfast club’s last success.
And Feeney, whose father played for Glentoran in the 1970s, says his ultimate aim is to bring the Gibson Cup back to the Oval.
“That’s my aim. I’m not going to say I am [going to] but that’s the aim. I never set targets but we’ve got big games coming up, obviously in Europe which are huge.
“But I want to bring that back to east Belfast. I’m sure the fans and everyone will get behind the players for that.”
When asked for his message to the fans, Feeney said: “I can’t affect outside noise but they’re great, passionate fans.
“All football fans are. I’m a passionate fan. I think they get stirred up with social media these days, but you want that. Where would you want to be? Standing here in front of 20 instead of standing in front of 3,000 – that’s what I want.
“It doesn’t faze me. We’re here to do the best for this club. On that pitch is what counts. Get behind the players and back them.”