THE FUSE

New Ballymena United manager Oran Kearney says he wants to see his side make gradual progress as they attempt to move up the Irish Premiership table and make an impression in the cup competitions in the second half of the season.

The former Coleraine boss was appointed as Jim Ervin's successor last weekend after the former Linfield and Ballymena defender parted ways with the Sky Blues on 30 November.

United sit ninth in the league standings, having picked up just 11 points from a possible 45 from their past 15 top-flight outings.

Kearney's first game in charge will be Saturday's trip to face Portadown at Shamrock Park, followed by a home match against Carrick Rangers the following week.

In January, his team face a testing Irish Cup fifth round tie at home to Larne and a BetMcLean Cup semi-final away to Linfield.

"I just want to get better, we want a good strong second half of the season, a good off season in relation to changes that we make, and it's just about progression," said Kearney in an interview with BBC Sport NI's Thomas Niblock.

"When I look at other clubs I've been at it's about getting things the way that you want them and and making progress game-by-game, month-by-month, year-by-year.

"For me the most important thing is getting a team out there that can win games of football, bring as many supporters to the ground as possible and hopefully have a successful period."

Kearney sees potential that can be tapped into at the Showgrounds and explains that he is happy to be back involved in football after leaving his role as Coleraine's sporting director at the start of May, ending a 14-year association with the club.

During two spells in charge of the Bannsiders, either side of a season spent at the helm at St Mirren, the 47-year-old guided the club to Irish Cup and League Cup successes, alongside three runner-up finishes in the league.

He was also manager when Coleraine famously overcame NK Maribor in Europa League qualifying in 2020. He stepped down from the role in 2024 to become sporting director, with his brother-in-law Dean Shiels assuming the position of head coach, before departing at the end of April.

"I had a great time at Coleraine and they are great memories that I'll have for ever but it's on to a new era now and we have to look forward to that.

"It has been a mad week, there have been a couple of sleepless nights, with ideas and things running through your head.

"The hard part of it is it's mid-season, it's a very big change in a short period of time, but it's very much just about getting going, getting to know the lads and getting an understanding of that and getting moving.

"There's a big opportunity here, when you see the infrastructure of the pitches and the stands and everything else."

Kearney balances being a football manager with his job as a PE teacher at Cross and Passion College in Ballycastle.

"It's busy but since I was 21 or so I've known nothing else but school and football.

"Definitely now that I'm back and going again it's right back into peak flow, get on the horse again and away we go.

"It's probably the first break I've had from football for decades and, probably without knowing, I needed that bit of refreshment.

"I know from being out of it for six months or more and even with the sporting director role I had at Coleraine you weren't taking the team or managing the team, I've missed the pitch stuff, I've missed the training ground and I've missed the three o'clock on a matchday, so I'm really looking forward to all of that."

With the festive season just around the corner, the traditional Boxing Day derby between Ballymena and Coleraine looms large on the horizon.

Kearney says he is proud of his achievements with the Ballycastle Road outfit but is philosophical about facing his former club as he prepares to take his place in the dugout with the Braidmen, for whom he made 121 appearances and scored 34 goals between 2002 and 2005.

"I've played many games for Ballymena and derbies against Coleraine and I've managed umpteen games for Coleraine against Ballymena, but that's the nature of football," he said.