Gareth McAuley believes former club's new journey will help benefit Northern Ireland football

Gareth McAuley believes Coleraine FC's move to full-time is not only good news for the Irish League but for football in Northern Ireland as a whole. The Bannsiders have moved to a new model ahead of next season with Dean Shiels taking over as Head Coach and Oran Kearney becoming Sporting Director.

There has also been a large turnover of personnel with several high-profile players heading out of The Showgrounds. While some fans may be anxious that only one player has come in so far McAuley feels there is plenty to be positive about.

The Northern Ireland Under-19 boss, who played for the club in very different circumstances over 20 years ago, believes the Bannsiders will reap the benefits of the move long term. And McAuley also feels the more full-time teams in the Irish League will only help with player development and the international set-up as well.

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"It's another Irish League club going full-time that's what we're aspiring for as a country, NIFL and the IFA," he said. "We're trying to move forward in that model.

"Young Shielsy has gone in there with Oran moving upstairs. Two good football people that I know well.

"The detail and the football environment that they will create will be good for any young player to go and play and get involved in and learn. Dean is great on the grass with coaching and development.

"They have a full-time educational programme going already and I know some of the boys and coaches down there. Moving forward it's great that they have the facilities there to be able to work on with the pitch and everything.

"It's a little bit different from what we had to train with out the back pitch with car lights. It's great to see and hear about and it's another step forward for the league.

"It continues to evolve and progress every year, and that's great for the young players who are in those environments as the gap will continually close for them."

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