From WiFi to 'relief' - how was Ferguson's Irish League debut?

ByAndy Gray

BBC Sport NI Journalist

"Football is football. I've managed in the Premier League, I've managed in Scotland and I've managed here.

"The ball is still round, the goals are still in the same spot and it's still 11 v 11."

Duncan Ferguson applauded as he walked to the travelling Glentoran support after a battling 1-1 draw with Coleraine, before he gently pumped his fist into the air.

It wasn't the three points that he would have dreamt of to start his managerial career in the Irish Premiership, but a fighting point at the leaders gave an insight into what was to come.

The appointment of the former Everton striker was the most high-profile in the Irish League in recent years.

After disappointing spells with Forest Green Rovers and Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Ferguson is a manager with a point to prove at a club who also have a similar chip on their shoulder as they look to return to the heights of years gone by.

After his first scheduled match as manager against Ballymena United was postponed last week due to a waterlogged pitch at the Oval, all eyes turned to Northern Ireland's north coast as 'Big Dunc' made his Irish League arrival.

The build-up to the game had been dominated by a viral video as he raced around the Oval trying to find the WiFi password in an entertaining and expletive-led fashion.

Thankfully for Ferguson, who admitted he was nervous before the game, his approach on the pitch was a lot more solid.

While Joel Cooper's superb goal broke Glentoran's resistance in a largely defensive first-half display, the visitors improved after the restart and got a deserved equaliser through Jordan Stewart's header with two minutes remaining.

"It's a relief. At the end of the day you are under pressure," Ferguson said.

"My first game didn't happen with Ballymena, and all of a sudden my next game is away at the league leaders.

"It's not easy. The boys performed great and they done their club proud."

'I would have taken it, 100%'

On the touchline, bar one telling off from the fourth official, Ferguson was a largely restrained figure as he marauded around his technical area, occasionally bellowing orders to his players or giving them hearty claps of encouragement.

Coming up against a Coleraine side who were the highest scorers in the division this season, defeat would have left Glentoran some 17 points off the Bannsiders before the end of October.

With that in mind, Ferguson opted for a solid foundation to contain Coleraine, although he felt his side were "too passive in our shape" as Cooper curled home a delightful opener.

Matthew Shevlin stuck the post and Glentoran goalkeeper Andrew Mills made a couple of strong saves, but the visitors pressed forwards as they started to "gamble".

As in his playing days, grit and determination were at the fore and the Glens deserved their equaliser as Stewart's late header rescued a point.

For one of the smallest players on the pitch, who Ferguson has already named "the wee man", it was a finish the former Everton and Newcastle United striker would have been proud of.

"They have a lot of attacking threats but, aside from the boy sticking one in the top corner, we restricted them in the first half.

"We've come to the best team in the league and in the second half I felt we went toe-to-toe with them."

Ferguson added that he had a "good gauge" of Ruaidhri Higgins' side before the game, and the response shown by his side bodes well going forward.

"It took a lot of determination and resilience to get back into the match and I'm pleased with that.

"I knew they were a good team. If you had offered me a draw before the match I would have taken it, 100%."

Ferguson has been open about his lack of knowledge of the Irish Premiership before his appointment, and has been leaning on the likes of Elliott Morris and Andy Matheson at the Oval to build his expertise.

But he has bought into his new role so far. On Saturday, after his first match was postponed, he went to Seaview to watch Coleraine's win over Crusaders, and he was also at a Glentoran Under-20s match at Dungannaon Swifts during the week.

After passing his first test at the league leaders, Ferguson admits he will "be back on his homework" on Saturday before his second game, away to Carrick Rangers.

"It's all one game at a time, but we've got a bit of time to prepare for Carrick Rangers.

"It's not all about tactics, it's about fire, determination and about running. My players showed that in the second half."