Winning League 'ultimate Goal' For New Coleraine Boss Higgins

New Coleraine head Ruaidhri Higgins says winning nan Irish Premiership is nan "ultimate goal" for nan eager apical formation nine but advancement must beryllium made "step-by-step" successful moving towards achieving that.

Higgins was revealed arsenic Dean Shiels' successor successful nan domiciled connected Friday and will return complaint of nan Bannsiders' European play-off semi-final against either Dungannon Swifts aliases Crusaders adjacent Wednesday.

The 40-year-old takes complete astatine nan helm astatine a clip erstwhile nan Ballycastle Road nine is nan taxable of awesome investment, including from executive president and mostly shareholder Henry Ross, and is finishing its first twelvemonth operating to a full-time model.

Joel Cooper, a cardinal fig successful Linfield's convincing Irish Premiership success, is among nan players who will beryllium joining Coleraine successful nan summer.

"You want to beryllium portion of clubs who want to beryllium successful. This nine decidedly wants occurrence but you person to return it successful stages arsenic well," said nan erstwhile Derry City boss.

"You person to compete first, unsettle nan teams supra you, and nan adjacent shape past is winning. It's step-by-step.

"But I'm very confident. There are a batch of smashing players present astatine nan minute. I've seen that astatine first hand, players that I americium really looking guardant to moving with."

Coleraine vanished 5th successful nan precocious completed Premiership run and Higgins is aiming to amended connected that adjacent term.

"We want to amended connected nan convention position adjacent year. Qualifying for Europe adjacent twelvemonth has to beryllium nan bare minimum, besides situation for silverware. Hopefully we tin spot that successful nan very adjacent future.

"I'm perfectly delighted to beryllium fixed this opportunity astatine a nine that is going successful nan correct guidance connected and disconnected nan field. We person to get to a constituent wherever we're competing pinch nan apical sides. Winning nan convention is nan eventual dream, nan eventual goal, but it doesn't hap overnight.

"I tin spot consecutive distant that nan levels of professionalism are really high."

Higgins revealed that he had held discussions pinch different willing parties but nan ambition of nan Bannsiders persuaded him to return complete nan reins astatine nan northbound westbound outfit.

"I needed a breather and I enjoyed my clip disconnected but nan past wee while I've started getting a spot itchy.

"I've had galore discussions pinch different people. I deliberation what attracted maine to this nine was evidently that I played present for a mini play and I started my coaching way pinch nan academy here.

"The ambition that nan nine person to move guardant is simply a big, large factor. I want to beryllium portion of large games. That's what we're successful it for."

The erstwhile midfielder explained that location was a "bittersweet" constituent successful taking up his caller position fixed that it progressive nan departure of Shiels.

"I spell backmost rather a while pinch Dean and professionally I deliberation he's an fantabulous coach, a superb person, who comes from a really bully family.

"It's bittersweet successful galore ways. You're coming into a superb occupation but you're taking connected nan work from personification who you've sewage a batch of respect for."

Higgins believes location is plentifulness of origin for optimism for nan future, starting pinch adjacent week's play-off brushwood which would springiness nan nine a changeable astatine securing a spot successful nan Uefa Conference League qualifiers and nan lucrative rewards that travel from that.

"We'll not cognize until aft nan cup last who we've sewage but sloppy of who it is it's thing to whet nan appetite and look guardant to.

"Dean and nan nine recruited really good successful nan past model and sewage immoderate affirmative results.

"There's a very bully halfway group present and pinch a fewer smart additions successful nan summertime model we tin person a really bully charismatic side. We want to make this spot really difficult to travel to."