Haveron: My ultimate aim is to get Carrick back in Premiership

The Larne man hopes he will be in the happy position of not having to call on himself as a player.

“My primary focus will be on managing the team,” he told the Times. “I wish to thank the board for putting their faith in me and I am overwhelmed at someone of the stature of Michael Hughes also believing that I am the right man for the job,” said the delighted Larne man, shortly after being appointed as successor to the former international star.

“It all came about very quickly for me. I was interviewed early on Sunday evening and then heard the news of my appointment on Monday morning. It’s a tremendous challenge but I am looking forward to it with terrific enthusiasm and determination,” said Haveron, who comes into the post with a fine playing pedigree.

He was at Wolverhampton Wanderers as a youth player, then spent time with Bolton Wanderers, Swindon Town and Yeovil before returning to the province for stints with Lisburn Distillery under Paul Kirk, Coleraine when Marty Quinn was boss, and Ballymena United during the tenure of Tommy Wright and Roy Walker. He also had a spell with Larne Tech just before joining Carrick.

“I have played under some very good managers in my time and I want to draw on that experience as I develop my own style of management,” explained the 33-year-old.

“I am fortunate to have been appointed for my first management post at a club like Carrick Rangers, which I believe is next only to a job with a club in the Premiership.

“My aim, of course, is to ultimately bring Carrick back into the Premiership and promotion this season is certainly not out of the question by any means.

“Carrick Rangers has a lot of really top quality players and I see it as my job to blend them into a unit capable of challenging for elevation back to senior football, if not the Championship One title.

“There is immense potential within this group of players and I want to inject even greater enthusiasm and team spirit into the squad and I will fully support all the players as we start down a difficult but rewarding road together.

“Michael has assured me that he will be there to help and encourage every step of the way, but he stressed that he will not be sitting on my shoulder.

“I am the manager and he will be there at the end of the phone if and when I need him. And that is great to know, because of his wealth of footballing knowledge and I appreciate it very much.

“In terms of a back-room staff, I have some people in mind for that, but I will not be rushing into any decisions.

“There are a lot of good people around the club and I will be talking to them all in due course,” assured the new Carrick Rangers manager