Coleraine has recently appointed Dean Shiels as their new head coach, with current manager Oran Kearney transitioning into a director of football role. This decision is expected to be finalized after a board meeting on Wednesday. Kearney, who has been managing the Bannsiders since 2019, previously led the team to Irish Cup success during his initial tenure from 2011 to 2018.
Shiels, who was previously managing Dungannon Swifts, joined Coleraine as a first-team coach in April of the same year. Before his time at Dungannon, Shiels had experience working as an assistant for the Northern Ireland Women’s team under his father Kenny. In the 2023-24 league campaign, Coleraine finished sixth and secured a place in the Europa Conference League play-off semi-finals, where they defeated Glentoran before ultimately losing to Crusaders in the final.
The recent change in coaching staff comes after Coleraine was acquired by London-based businessmen Ranald McGregor-Smith and Patrick Mitchell in February. The new owners have expressed ambitions to transition the team into a full-time professional club, with plans to have a number of players operating on a full-time model in the upcoming season. This shift in leadership marks an exciting new chapter for Coleraine as they aim to continue their success in the league and beyond.
