Larne Owner Bruce States Next Manager Must ‘Build on Foundations Laid’

Larne owner Kenny Bruce has indicated the club is anticipating its “next chapter” following Tiernan Lynch’s departure to take over at Derry City. Bruce commented on the managerial search, stating, “We’re not going to rush into it.” Lynch spent seven years at Inver Park, during which he secured back-to-back Irish Premiership titles and guided the club into the Uefa Conference League before moving to the Candystripes on a three-year deal. Bruce reflected on what he described as an “amazing journey” throughout Lynch’s tenure. Speaking to BBC Sport NI, Bruce remarked, “I’m glad it has ended in the way that it has, there is no resignation or termination it ended on great terms.” He added, “The whole legacy was really important for both of us and to look back on the nearly eight years it’s been and how successful we have been as a partnership it bodes well for the future.” Lynch is scheduled to manage Larne for his last match against Institute on Tuesday night. When Lynch joined in 2017, Larne was positioned near the bottom of the second-tier Championship. Bruce’s investment in the club followed a couple of months later. Since that time, Lynch has guided the club through a significant ascent to the pinnacle of the Irish Premiership and into European competition, with Bruce acknowledging his substantial contributions. Bruce further stated, “Everything on the field he has been the catalyst for delivering that and he has done an amazing job.” He also noted, “This club looking for a new management team today is very different to the environment Tiernan and [his brother] Seamus walked into seven and a half years ago.” Bruce additionally clarified the choice for Lynch to manage Larne one last time on Tuesday night in a BetMcLean League Cup match against Institute, which will coincidentally take place at Derry’s Brandywell Stadium. Bruce commented, “It’s hugely appropriate [for Lynch and his coaching staff to take charge] they are very professional people, and they will try to win and get us into the quarter-final of the League Cup.” He added, “It was appropriate they got the opportunity to say goodbye to the Larne players and fans.” Gary Haveron, a member of Lynch’s coaching staff, will assume interim management of Larne alongside Andrew Mitchell. In September, Lynch had previously declined an offer to become manager of Scottish Premiership team St Johnstone. Bruce acknowledged that Lynch’s departure was inevitable once Larne achieved the distinction of being the first Northern Irish club to reach the league or group stage of a European competition. He explained, “It was always going to be the start of the end, you were always going to get a lot of attraction and that came from a number of clubs in the last few months.” Bruce concluded, “It’s the right opportunity for Tiernan at this stage and we endorse that and look forward to the next chapter.” Bruce confirmed that Gary Haveron and Andrew Mitchell will oversee Larne’s Irish Premiership fixture against Ballymena United on Saturday. He also stated that the club will not “rush” the appointment of a new permanent manager, waiting until the ideal candidate is found. Bruce elaborated, “We understand what good looks like, and we’ll do our due diligence because we want someone who sees Larne for the next five years as being a real future for them.” He continued, “It’s a really attractive role with the legacy Tiernan has created. We believe we will get the right candidate in who will work hard to build on the foundations laid.” Bruce concluded by saying, “We started the process yesterday [Monday] and we will see where that takes us in the next few weeks.”