Love Belfast Opinion
Six league matches cannot define an entire season, but they can expose problems that need urgent attention.
Glentoran’s opening weeks have revealed too many of them.
After two victories, one draw and three defeats, the Glens sit eighth with seven points — already nine behind early leaders Coleraine. For a club assembled to challenge for the Gibson Cup, that is more than a slow start. It is an early warning. (glentoran.com, us.irishnews.com)
The frustration is heightened by the strength of the squad. Declan Devine has experienced Irish League players, proven goalscorers and several eye-catching additions at his disposal. Yet Glentoran have rarely looked like a settled, confident side capable of controlling matches from beginning to end.
Last season should have been the foundation
There was genuine progress during the 2025/26 campaign.
Glentoran finished third with 77 points after winning 23 of their 38 league matches. They scored 73 goals and conceded 38, producing their strongest league return of the Ali Pour era. (rsssf.org, footballdatabase.com)
They also reached the BetMcLean Cup final, where a 117th-minute penalty gave Linfield a 1-0 extra-time victory, and were eliminated from the Irish Cup quarter-finals by Larne following a penalty shootout. (glentoran.com, irishfa.com)
Pat Hoban was central to that improvement. He scored 31 goals across the campaign and was named the NIFL Premiership Player of the Year. (glentoran.com, glentoran.com)
It was not a trophy-winning season, and the final-day 6-2 defeat at Coleraine left an unpleasant final impression, but third place and European qualification appeared to provide a strong platform.
Instead, much of that momentum has disappeared.
Glentoran are not taking control early enough
The results reveal a worrying pattern.
Glentoran beat Limavady United 2-0 on the opening day, but the match remained goalless until Jordan Stewart and Hoban scored in the 61st and 63rd minutes. Against Ballymena United, another 2-0 victory, the breakthrough did not arrive until Aaron McEneff converted an 81st-minute penalty. Marcus Kane added the second in stoppage time. (glentoran.com, glentoran.com)
Neither victory was built on an early display of authority.
All three league defeats have finished 2-1. Glentoran scored only in stoppage time against Linfield, conceded an 88th-minute winner against Crusaders and required another late penalty to reduce the deficit against Larne. (glentoran.com, glentoran.com, glentoran.com)
There have been good spells and missed chances, but title-challenging teams cannot continually wait for matches to come alive. They impose themselves earlier, create sustained pressure and force opponents to react.
Glentoran currently look more like a side hoping for a decisive moment than one constructing a convincing performance.
The attack has lost last season’s sharpness
Glentoran scored almost two league goals per game last season. This time around they have managed eight in six matches.
That is not disastrous, but the manner of the goals matters. Several have arrived from penalties, corners or late rallies. There has not been enough consistent creativity in open play, nor enough service into the areas where Hoban is most dangerous.
The striker has also had an interrupted start because of injury. A team that relied heavily on his goals last season was always going to feel his absence, but a squad with Glentoran’s resources cannot allow its attacking identity to depend entirely on one player.
Conor McMenamin’s return is an exciting addition. His pace, directness and creativity should make a considerable difference once he is fully integrated. However, he cannot be expected to repair the entire attack immediately.
Devine must find a system that gets Hoban, McMenamin, Stewart and the supporting midfielders working as a connected unit. At present, the attack often feels like a collection of talented individuals waiting for something to happen.
Costly mistakes are deciding tight games
Seven goals conceded in six league matches does not suggest a defensive catastrophe. The concern is when and how those goals have been conceded.
Glentoran allowed Linfield to score from a corner, surrendered a late winner after drawing level against Crusaders and conceded twice shortly after half-time at Larne. Captain Marcus Kane has already acknowledged that the team has been giving opponents avoidable opportunities. (glentoran.com)
When performances are not flowing, concentration becomes even more important. A team struggling to create chances cannot afford to gift opponents goals or lose focus during decisive periods.
Glentoran’s three league losses were all close on the scoreboard. That offers some encouragement, but repeatedly losing tight matches is not simply bad luck. It points towards problems with game management, decision-making and composure.
Injuries matter — but they cannot explain everything
The Glens have been without important players at different stages. Hoban, Zeno Ibsen Rossi, Greg Sloggett, Jarlath O’Rourke and Jack Malone have all had fitness concerns, while other suspensions and injuries have forced changes. (glentoran.com)
That disruption makes it harder to establish partnerships and select a settled starting eleven.
However, injuries cannot fully excuse the performance against Bangor. The newly promoted Seasiders arrived at The Oval near the bottom of the table, took the lead and departed with a deserved point following a 1-1 draw.
Glentoran should still have possessed enough quality to win that match.
The same squad also defeated Linfield 3-1 in the County Antrim Shield between the league losses to Crusaders and Larne. That result demonstrated what the Glens are capable of producing. It also made their inconsistency even more difficult to understand. (glentoran.com)
Responsibility cannot stop with the players
The players deserve criticism. They are full-time professionals representing one of the biggest clubs in Irish League football, and supporters are entitled to expect greater urgency, bravery and consistency.
But responsibility must be shared.
This is Devine’s squad, built with significant financial backing. It is the responsibility of the manager and his coaching team to establish a recognisable style, create a balanced team and ensure players understand exactly what is expected of them.
Glentoran have recruited heavily throughout the Pour era, yet frequent squad changes have not produced a lasting footballing identity. At some point, the club must become more than a collection of impressive names.
Devine was appointed permanently in April 2024 and later signed a contract running until 2027. He has delivered a County Antrim Shield and last season’s league improvement, so dismissing that work after six league games would be premature. (glentoran.com)
However, that previous progress also raises expectations. This is no longer a rebuilding project. Glentoran should be ready to challenge now.
A defining response is required
Tuesday night’s meeting with Coleraine has suddenly become enormously important.
Victory would cut the gap between the teams to six points and could restore some belief around The Oval. Defeat would leave Glentoran 12 points behind the leaders after only seven matches.
The league title would not be mathematically over, but the Glens would already be relying on a substantial turnaround and mistakes from the clubs above them.
More importantly, supporters need to see a response in the performance. They need urgency from the opening whistle, clearer attacking ideas and a team prepared to take responsibility rather than wait for another late rescue attempt.
So, what is going wrong at Glentoran?
There is no single dramatic explanation. Injuries, poor finishing, avoidable defensive errors, constant changes and growing pressure have all contributed.
But the central problem is simpler: Glentoran possess the players of a title contender without consistently performing like one.
Devine and his squad still have time to change that. What they no longer have is the luxury of wasting many more matches.
Read more: Linfield vs Glentoran at The Oval Tomorrow Night
Discover more from LoveBelfast
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
