Nathan Rooney Seeks to Establish Influence at Larne Ahead of European Fixture

Larne, managed by Nathan Rooney, is set to play their second-to-last Uefa Conference League group stage match against Dinamo Minsk on Thursday. Rooney, the club’s recently appointed boss, indicated that earning the respect of the players at Inver Park is a crucial aspect of his role, as he steps into the position previously held by the club’s highly successful manager, Tiernan Lynch. The 35-year-old Englishman assumed leadership of the back-to-back Irish Premiership champions last month, following Lynch’s departure to join Derry City in the League of Ireland. The former FCB Magpies manager oversaw his inaugural Larne game, which ended in a 1-1 draw with Cliftonville earlier this month. However, he will not officially be in charge for their Uefa Conference League game against Dinamo Minsk in Azerbaijan on Thursday night, as he does not yet possess the required licence. While Larne’s achievement of becoming the first Irish Premiership team to reach the league phase of a major European tournament will always be associated with Lynch’s highly successful period with the county Antrim side, Rooney expressed his desire to be authentic in the Inver Park dugout. He stated, “The job is the job. You’ve got to come in and you’ve got to impact it.” He further added, “You’ve got to continue all the things that you’re good at, you’ve got to come with confidence, you’ve got to come with clear messaging.” Rooney also conveyed, “I want to show my energy, I want to be on the front foot.” Assistant coach Gary Haveron served as interim manager for the initial match after Lynch’s exit, which resulted in a defeat to Olimpija, and will officially assume the role of head coach again on Thursday. Despite this, Rooney accompanied his new squad on both away trips. Rooney remarked, “Over the course of the few days, it felt like I’d been in the environment for a long period.” He continued, “That’s a big compliment to the lads themselves and the backroom team.” He also emphasized, “It’s not up to them to make me feel welcome, it’s my job to get in there and earn their respect with the players.” Having adapted quickly to his new position, Rooney believes it is important to highlight the quality within the squad he has inherited. Following several seasons of rapid growth, this campaign has proven challenging for Larne, who are still seeking their first point in the Conference League and currently sit ninth in the Irish Premiership, though with outstanding matches compared to all teams ahead of them. Rooney commented, “The calibre of the club, it’s a lot greater and a lot higher than people actually think.” He added, “It’s really important that we make sure that quality is talked about for a long time.” He concluded, “The important thing is making people see how good they actually are. I’m excited by the quality and the knowledge [in the squad].” The way Larne managed the dual pressures of European and domestic football this season was always going to be a significant narrative of the Irish Premiership campaign, and now Lynch’s departure presents another prominent storyline. Nevertheless, Rooney perceives the initial indications as encouraging. Rooney stated, “I’m a big believer that if you give that energy out, you ask for that in abundance, on the training field and off it. That’s been given back in massive amounts.” He continued, “At the end of the day, the players are aligned to the club, they’ve to continue the progression for the club and for themselves as players.” He also noted, “At the same time they’ve got to do that under leadership and instruction as well.” Cian Bolger [right] was observed training with Larne at the Mehdi Huseynzade Stadium on Wednesday night. Larne defender Cian Bolger, who previously played alongside Rooney at Fleetwood Town, characterized the current period at the club as a “new era.” Bolger remarked, “It’s been really good. There’s a great buzz around the place again, there’s a new energy around the building which is great to see.” He added, “The previous manager brought great success but it’s kind of a new era for the club.” He concluded, “The manager has come in with his ideas and everyone is really excited to get working under him and see what we can do.” The match scheduled for Thursday in Azerbaijan represents another extensive European journey for Larne, who have also competed in Latvia, Kosovo, Portugal, Norway, and Slovenia during a campaign that commenced in July. Despite the arduous travel and the fact that they have up to five league fixtures to complete compared to some domestic competitors, Bolger asserted that Larne needs to “embrace” the difficulties associated with playing at this tier. He stated, “We set out at the start of pre-season to get into this competition, it’s something you’ve got to embrace.” He continued, “This is what we want to be a part of and, going forward, be a part of every season. It’s not something we can be complaining about.” He concluded, “Every player wants to play games rather than be on the training field. The more the better.”