A significant leadership change appears imminent at Coleraine FC, with Dean Shiels expected to be named the new head coach.
A board meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, where the official confirmation is anticipated.
Shiels’ promotion coincides with a role shift for current manager Oran Kearney.
The highly-respected Kearney, who initially took charge of the Bannsiders in 2011, will assume the newly-created director of football position.
During his first spell at the helm, Kearney masterminded Coleraine’s 2018 Irish Cup triumph.
After a successful stint managing Scottish Premiership side St Mirren, he returned to Coleraine in 2019.The recently concluded 2023-24 season saw Coleraine finish a respectable sixth in the Irish Premiership.
Their European ambitions also brought promise, with the team overcoming Glentoran in the Europa Conference League play-off semi-finals.
However, their continental aspirations were dashed by Crusaders in the final.
Shiels joined Coleraine’s coaching staff in April, taking on the first-team coach role.
This appointment followed a two-year period managing Dungannon Swifts in the top-flight. Prior to that, he served as assistant coach for the Northern Ireland Women’s team under his father, Kenny.
This leadership reshuffle comes amidst a wider period of change for the club. Back in February, Coleraine was acquired by London-based businessmen Ranald McGregor-Smith and Patrick Mitchell.
The new ownership group has expressed ambitious plans to transform the club into a fully professional outfit.
Part of this vision includes transitioning a significant number of players to full-time contracts for the upcoming season, a move that could significantly bolster Coleraine’s competitive edge.
With Shiels at the helm and Kearney’s experience guiding the club’s overall football strategy, the Bannsiders appear poised for an exciting new chapter, with fans eager to see the team challenge for silverware once again.
