Now that the dust has settled on Stephen Baxter’s appointment as manager of Carrick Rangers, the former Crues boss will begin his work in earnest today against Coleraine.
Baxter has a rescue mission on his hands as Carrick are second from bottom in the Sports Direct Premiership with just six points from10 games.
Stuart King’s time at Taylor’s Avenue came to an end last week after defeat to Queen’s University in the Bet McLean League Cup.
Caretaker duo Mark Surgenor and Curtis Allen steered the team to victory over Cliftonville last weekend, giving Carrick a much needed boost.
Coleraine are coming off back to back defeats to Linfield and Crusaders but Baxter is under no illusions about the task ahead today.
“I have looked at their team and they are a very talented bunch of players”, said Baxter.
“They’ve always had the ability to break quickly. Matthew Shevlin, Jamie McGonigle and players of that ilk will hurt you quickly on the counter attack.
“I like Dylan Boyle in midfield, he controls the game and passes the ball very well and they’ve obviously brought in a couple of younger boys from Scotland (Conor Murray and Mackenzie Carse), I know big Cameron Stewart, who had a short loan spell at Crusaders and they’ve got league experience in Jack Scott and Dean Jarvis.
“They’ve got a nice, happy balance of players, they can play and they can pass the ball, they know their way about a football pitch and they’re looking for a rhythm in their game right now.
“The league has been mixed this year but on their day they are a very, very solid team with a lot of weapons in their arsenal and it’s important that we compete with them quickly in the game and make sure that we are on top.”
