Haveron has been an inspiration, says new Rangers boss Taggart

Glenn Taggart, the new man at the helm at Carrick Rangers, says everyone at the club will be pulling together as the Championship season reaches its climax.
Glenn Taggart has been named as the new boss of Carrick Rangers after Gary Haveron stepped down on Tuesday night. INLT 14-949-CONGlenn Taggart has been named as the new boss of Carrick Rangers after Gary Haveron stepped down on Tuesday night. INLT 14-949-CON
Glenn Taggart has been named as the new boss of Carrick Rangers after Gary Haveron stepped down on Tuesday night. INLT 14-949-CON

As revealed by the Times, the 34-year-old was this week named as the man to succeed Gary Haveron in the Taylor’s Avenue hot-seat.

Haveron has stepped down because he doesn’t possess the full UEFA ‘B’ coaching qualification needed as part of the application process for a Championship licence - a requirement of any club seeking promotion to the top-flight.

But the man who has led Carrick to Steel and Sons Cup success and to within a point of league leaders Bangor, will remain at the club as a member of the coaching team. He has also applied for the next ‘B’ Licence course in June.

Haveron signed off with a 2-1 win over Larne at Inver Park on Tuesday night and now it’s over to Taggart for the rest of the campaign.

Speaking exclusively to Times, he said it is an honour to manage the club.

“I was made aware of the licence situation recently and the last 72 hours have been a bit of a whirlwind. It’s not ideal but rules are rules,” he said.

“For the immediate future I’m the new manager of Carrick Rangers but I want to say that Gary has been an inspiration firstly as a friend and team-mate and then as a manager. If I can manage half as well as him with this group of players then I’ve no doubt that come the end of the season we will be successful in our aims.

“Gary will be staying on as a member of our coaching team and with me just in the hot-seat, I’ll be relying on him, Steven (Mills), Graham (Arthur) and Nathan (McConnell) heavily regarding training and match days.

“This weekend we have Ballyclare and everyone at Carrick knows we’re in for a tough test at Dixon Park.

“Regardless of what’s happened over the last few days, everyone’s goal at this club is to win every game. We are competing for the league and we’re focused on that.”