Declan Devine says it is important for Glentoran to keep the tie alive when they take on RFS in the first leg of their UEFA Conference League first qualifying round tie at The BetMcLean Oval on Thursday evening (kick-off 7.30pm).

The Latvian outfit have recorded some impressive results in Europe in recent seasons and will provide a stern test for the Glens.

But Devine insists his side will embrace the challenge in front of them as they make a return to European competition after two years.

“First and foremost we are delighted to be back in Europe again and we are determined to make the most of it,” said the Glentoran boss.

“We feel a club of this size and stature should be competing at this level, but no club has a right to be there, you have to earn it and we earned it with our performances last season.

“Obviously a lot rides on your draw and it has thrown up a tricky one for us but it is still a tie we feel we can win and progress into the second round.

“The first leg is certainly going to be key. Our home form has been very good for a while now and we have to carry that on come Thursday night.

“Our key message is to make sure we take advantage of the first leg being at home so that we can take something to Riga. We have to make sure the tie is still very much alive come the second leg.”

RFS are no strangers to Irish opposition, having eliminated both Linfield and Larne from European competition in recent seasons.

The Latvian champions have established themselves as regulars in UEFA competition, reaching the Europa Conference League group stage in 2022/23 before progressing to the Europa League phase last season, where they claimed a famous 1-0 victory over Ajax.

“They certainly have a lot of pedigree in European competition over the last few years,” said Devine.

“I think the play-off win over Linfield back in 2022 helped them to really build the squad and winning their league the following season and then facing Larne in the Champions League qualifiers the following year.

“This is the sixth season in a row they have qualified for Europe, so it shows the trajectory they have been on.

“We have done a lot of homework on them since the draw was made and the players will be well drilled come the first leg.

“Now it’s about embracing the opportunity which lies in front of us and making the most of it.

“There’s no point working hard all season to secure a place in Europe if you don’t give a good account of yourselves once it comes along.”

It’s been a busy pre-season for Glentoran with five games under their belts already along with numerous sessions on the pitch as they build up for their meeting with RFS.

Devine has been pleased with efforts put in by his squad and the business they have done off the pitch so far.

“Pre-season is always tough especially when you have a European game in mid-July to plan in,” he said.

“Obviously fitness is very important as the guys have been off for about six or seven weeks, but you also need to build up time on the pitch too.

“And it’s very important that you manage the workload of every player because the last thing you want is someone breaking down at this stage.

“Thankfully that is a major bonus of being full-time as you have the players in every day so you can spread the work out and also manage their recovery better so that you can hopefully avoid any injuries.

“I have to give the players a lot of credit as they all came back in good shape so that they could hit the ground running when we got going.

“Off the pitch myself and the coaching team have also been trying to conduct transfer business as well.

“We’ve obviously had a few players in on trial and we have been casting the net far and wide to make sure we can bring in the right players for this club.

“So far Greg Sloggett has been our only new arrival but it’s a great signing for us. He’s someone I know well from my time in the League of Ireland and he will be a valuable addition to the squad.

“His experience speaks for itself. He’s played at a high level in the League of Ireland, competed regularly in Europe and gained valuable experience in England over the last couple of seasons. Those experiences will be a real asset to our dressing room.

“What also stood out throughout our conversations was how keen Greg was to join Glentoran. He understands the expectations that come with representing this football club and was excited by the opportunity to be part of what we’re doing here.

“I can assure the fans there is a lot of hard work going on behind the scenes to bolster the squad and that will continue.

“We have a talented squad of players here and we obviously lost a couple of key players at the end of last season, but we have identified where we need to strengthen and what we are looking for.

“I know there’s a lot of excitement amongst the fans ahead of the new campaign and we want to give them plenty to cheer about as well and hopefully that starts on Thursday evening against RFS.”

Tickets for Thursday night’s UEFA Conference League First Qualifying Round first leg against RFS at The BetMcLean Oval are available now. Supporters can secure their place by visiting: https://www.glentoran.com/tickets/