Shiels and Kearney to assume new roles at Coleraine

Dean Shiels is set to become the new Coleraine head coach with current manager Oran Kearney moving into a director of football role at the club.

The move is expected to be confirmed after a board meeting on Wednesday after a board meeting.

Kearney, 45, has been manager of the Bannsiders since 2019 after returning from a stint managing Scottish side St Mirren.

His first period at the helm of the Irish Premiership side saw him take charge at the Ballycastle Road club from 2011 until 2018, when he led his side to Irish Cup success.

Coleraine finished sixth in the 2023-24 league campaign, beating Glentoran in the Europa Conference League play-offs, before losing to Crusaders in the final.

Shiels joined Coleraine as first-team coach in April after a spell as Dungannon Swifts manager ended in June 2023.

Shiels managed the Swifts in the top flight for more than two years, as well as being assistant to his father Kenny, when he was in charge of the Northern Ireland Women's team.

Coleraine were taken over by London-based businessmen Ranald McGregor-Smith and Patrick Mitchell in February.

In an interview with BBC Sport NI at the time of the takeover, the pair said they had ambitions to be a full-time professional club, adding that they “would like a number of players to be on a full-time model” in this coming season.