Larne job 'the perfect opportunity' for Rooney

Nathan Rooney has agreed a two-and-a half-year contract with Irish Premiership champions Larne

New Larne manager Nathan Rooney says taking over the reins of the Irish Premiership champions represents "the perfect opportunity" for him.

Rooney has agreed a two-and-a-half-year deal to succeed Tiernan Lynch as boss of the Inver Park club.

The 35-year-old Blackburn native moves to the Irish League from Gibraltarian side Bruno's Magpies.

"It's the perfect job for me. The opportunity to come into a league where I can stamp my mark and a boardroom which shares the same values," Rooney told BBC Sport NI.

"A perfect opportunity - the setting, the foundations laid in place by the previous manager, a couple of the current players I’ve worked with in the past as well."

Rooney inherits a squad which has yet to pick up a point in the league stages of the Uefa Conference League after becoming the first Irish League club to reach that point of a major European club competition.

The back-to-back league champions sit ninth in the Premiership table, but with matches in hand over all the clubs above them, including leaders Linfield, who they trail by 14 points, having played four games fewer.

Rooney aims to build on the transformation in the club's fortunes which Lynch, now at Derry City, played such a major part, as well as bringing his own personality and ideas to his new job.

"For this year we’ve got to get the points back on the table but hopefully with my approach and my experience from previous jobs I’ve got the bravery and the confidence to put the work in action.

"We want to get a point in Europe, that’s the next step against one of the big teams, but we want to build momentum in the league as well."

'It's the perfect match'

Asked about his approach to management, Rooney explained that he is "tough in terms of managing the seniors" and "quite demanding in terms of what the training regime looks like".

"For me that’s important that we get that perfectly bang on so that we can roll into the games with no questions asked - full clarity, confidence.

"Demands are going to be high but we want to excite each other, instil something different, and integrate youth at the right moment."

The east Antrim club have opted for a degree of continuity in the face of change as previous first team coach Gary Haveron has been promoted to the role of assistant manager.

"It’s important to come here and listen to the backroom team, to implement my style with the expertise already in there," explained Rooney.

"From what I’ve seen in the last couple of days and on the phone it’s the perfect match. I want to hit the ground running.

"They [Larne] wanted a young manager, someone who could bring energy, someone who could build foundations. I'm about allowing staff and players to grow under my leadership, someone infectious who can deliver the tactical side of the game as well."

Haveron will take charge of the team for Thursday's Uefa Conference League game against Olimpija Ljubljana of Slovenia, with Rooney assuming his place at the helm on Friday, ahead of Sunday's Premiership meeting with Cliftonville at Inver Park.