Sports Direct Premiership: Ballymena United v Coleraine (Friday, 7.45pm)
OLE Gunnar Solskjaer, Kenny Dalglish and Pep Guardiola. All players who have made the leap from playing at their most-precious clubs to becoming the man in charge, the gaffer, the big boss.
Now, Jim Ervin joins this line-up as Ballymena’s beloved captain takes the reins at Warden Street, hoping to emulate the club’s happier days of old.
It will be a baptism of fire, as the new man begins his legacy tonight with a trip to bitter rivals Coleraine in the opening game of the 2023/24 Sports Direct Premiership.
Taking over from David Jeffrey will be no easy task, but the adopted son of the town of the seven towers is looking forward to making his own history.
“It has been great to be back here and it has been really beneficial to have joined in time for a full pre-season,” says Ervin.
“We kicked off training on the first of July and that has really given me time to get to know the players, the attributes of the squad and where potentially we need to strengthen.
‘‘We have picked up a couple of players and I would hope to bring in a couple more before the transfer window closes.
“I would also say that having some time with the squad has given them a chance to see how I work too, and I think it’s a ‘buy-in’ process for everybody involved. I will have a different approach from David obviously and I am my own man.”
Those new arrivals include Colin Coates. The veteran former Cliftonville and Crusaders defender will bring vast experience of winning titles to The Showgrounds and should help guide the younger players in the squad to cut down on the goals conceded tally, from last season.
With 277 appearances and two trophies won as a player in his eight year spell with the Sky-Blues, Ervin acknowledges that it will not be a “quick-fix” to turn this under-achieving footballing town into contenders for titles.
“Look, I sat down with the board and put my ‘project’ across to them and they appeared to be suitably impressed.
‘‘We are all aware that this is a long-term challenge and there will be no overnight fixes. ‘‘However, I am also a realist and know that I have no credit in the bank from my playing days here, now that I’m manager, improvements must be made this season,” added the ex-Linfield man.
“We look at Crusaders, Stephen Baxter took over when they were relegated and look at them now. The club invested in him and his ideas and you could see the improvement coming.‘‘Larne too, we can look at their scenario as money-based, but you also had a board willing to put that money where their mouth is.”
Kicking off his managerial career against rivals Coleraine fills Ervin with a passion and excitement he knows all too well from his playing days.
“Yeah it’s exciting to start off with a derby. They got the better of us in two of the three games last season, so we probably owe them one, but it’s a tough place to go.”
Both sides will be hoping to get their season off to a flier. Coleraine’s season petered out badly last term after doing so well to make the top-six end-of-season split, and Oran Kearney will be keen to make a fast start this time around.
They will be hoping the capture of David McDaid from tonight’s opponents will supply a goal source to go alongside last season’s top scorer Matthew McShelvin.
It promises to be another exciting season for all involved.
