New Glentoran manager Warren Feeney looking to end wait for Premiership title and says criticism is 'water off a duck's back'

Following Rodney McAree’s resignation, the Glens moved quickly to bring in former Northern Ireland international Feeney with mixed reaction from supporters after the announcement.

The 42-year-old started his managerial career with rivals Linfield in 2014, winning 36 of his 62 games at the Blues and led them to a second-placed finish in the 2014/15 season, ending the campaign 10 points adrift of Crusaders.

Feeney has since enjoyed spells with Newport County, Ards, Bulgarian outfit Pirin Blagoevgrad and Welling United but is now fully focused on bringing glory back to the east Belfast club, who last won the league title in 2008/09.

"That's my aim,” he told BBC Sport Northern Ireland. “I'm not going to say I am [going to] but that's the aim. I never set targets but we've got big games coming up, obviously in Europe which are huge.

"But I want to bring that back to east Belfast. I'm sure the fans and everyone will get behind the players for that."

Feeney is set to meet the Glentoran players on Tuesday evening for the first time and has family connections to the club with his father previously playing for them while his son George is in the Glentoran Academy.

Despite many questioning the appointment, Feeney says he won’t be affected by the criticism and hopes people ‘keep talking about me’.

"It's like water off a duck's back,” he added. “I want the fans buzzing. There's going to be criticism and I understand that.

"But I want to get these fans behind me and behind the players, and that's the first and foremost, the players.

"Football now can be a lonely place. The hype and the talk on social media, people get excited but it doesn't worry me.

"But I'm glad, I hope they keep talking about me if it's bad or good for the next 10 years.

"People seem to forget, I went into Linfield when they hadn't won the league in three years. I finished second in my first season, changed it up, left and I won't go into why when we were top of the league, so it doesn't bother me.

"I'm employed by this football club. If I didn't think this was right and if I wasn't brave enough, believe me I wouldn't take it."

Feeney also called on the fans to ‘get behind the players and back them’ as they prepare to start their season with a Europa Conference League qualifier next month.

"I can't affect outside noise but they're great, passionate fans,” he said. “All football fans are. I'm a passionate fan.

"I think they get stirred up with social media these days, but you want that. Where would you want to be? Standing here in front of 20 instead of standing in front of 3,000 - that's what I want.

"It doesn't faze me. We're here to do the best for this club. On that pitch is what counts. Get behind the players and back them."