RACE HOTS UP FOR NEW BOSS

McAllister says that he is the right man for the job, having been Marty Quinn’s assistant manager for the past three months and says that if given the chance, he will make changes to the playing staff come January.

“I know every player inside out and I know their strengths and weaknesses,” he said.

“I want the job, I believe I’m the right man for the job and I have a lot of confidence that I can take it on. I know what places the team needs strengthened in. At the end of the day, the league table doesn’t lie and we need to make changes.

“There are a lot of mental things wrong. If players aren’t mentally strong enough to go out and win football matches, you bring in players who are.

“New players need to be brought in in January. Every player who is there at the minute will be fighting for his life now. If I’m given the job, I will make changes in January but I’ve been given the job for one or two weeks and that’s all I’m concentrating on now.”

The former DC manager, who stepped down in June 2010 for ‘personal reasons’ also says that claims he is too inexperienced are no cause for concern.

“People might say that I’m a gamble and a rookie but at the end of the day, you only have to look at the managers in the league like Scott Young and Oran Kearney,” he said.

“I came up against Oran when he was at Limavady and I was at DC. He’s now at Coleraine and has done a great job there.

“I don’t want to comment on the future. I just want to think about the game against Carrick and then it’s up to the club to make a decision. Whatever decision they make, I will totally respect it.”

Former Cliftonville boss Eddie Patterson was dismissed in April this year after five years in charge at Solitude and is keen to get back into management.

“No-one has spoken to me but it would be something I’d think about,” he told the BBC.

Paul Kirk, who recently took over the manager’s job at Lisburn Rangers, is also keen on the job.

“There is great professionalism at Mourneview Park but their progress off the field has not been matched on the field,” he told the BBC.

“I have no doubt in my ability to do the job and play the style of football that Glenavon are used to.”