New Coleraine manager Ruaidhri Higgins says winning the Irish Premiership is the “ultimate goal” for the ambitious top flight club but progress must be made “step-by-step” in moving towards achieving that.
Higgins was revealed as Dean Shiels’ successor in the role on Friday and will take charge of the Bannsiders’ European play-off semi-final against either Dungannon Swifts or Crusaders next Wednesday.
The 40-year-old takes over at the helm at a time when the Ballycastle Road club is the subject of major investment, including from executive chairman and majority shareholder Henry Ross, and is finishing its first year operating to a full-time model.
Joel Cooper, a key figure in Linfield’s convincing Irish Premiership success, is among the players who will be joining Coleraine in the summer.
“You want to be part of clubs who want to be successful. This club definitely wants success but you have to take it in stages as well,” said the former Derry City boss.
“You have to compete first, unsettle the teams above you, and the next stage then is winning. It’s step-by-step.
“But I’m very confident. There are a lot of smashing players here at the minute. I’ve seen that at first hand, players that I am really looking forward to working with.”
Coleraine finished fifth in the recently completed Premiership campaign and Higgins is aiming to improve on that next term.
“We want to improve on the league position next year. Qualifying for Europe next year has to be the bare minimum, also challenge for silverware. Hopefully we can see that in the very near future.
“I’m absolutely delighted to be given this opportunity at a club that is going in the right direction on and off the field. We have to get to a point where we’re competing with the top sides. Winning the league is the ultimate dream, the ultimate goal, but it doesn’t happen overnight.
“I can see straight away that the levels of professionalism are really high.”
Higgins revealed that he had held discussions with other interested parties but the ambition of the Bannsiders persuaded him to take over the reins at the north west outfit.
“I needed a breather and I enjoyed my time off but the last wee while I’ve started getting a bit itchy.
“I’ve had numerous discussions with different people. I think what attracted me to this club was obviously that I played here for a small period and I started my coaching path with the academy here.
“The ambition that the club have to move forward is a big, big factor. I want to be part of big games. That’s what we’re in it for.”
The former midfielder explained that there was a “bittersweet” element in taking up his new position given that it involved the departure of Shiels.
“I go back quite a while with Dean and professionally I think he’s an excellent coach, a brilliant person, who comes from a really good family.
“It’s bittersweet in many ways. You’re coming into a brilliant job but you’re taking on the responsibility from someone who you’ve got a lot of respect for.”
Higgins believes there is plenty of cause for optimism for the future, starting with next week’s play-off encounter which would give the club a shot at securing a place in the Uefa Conference League qualifiers and the lucrative rewards that flow from that.
“We’ll not know until after the cup final who we’ve got but regardless of who it is it’s something to whet the appetite and look forward to.
“Dean and the club recruited really well in the last window and got some positive results.
“There’s a very good core group here and with a few smart additions in the summer window we can have a really good attractive side. We want to make this place really difficult to come to.”
