Duncan Ferguson is plotting a return to the glory days at the Oval after his appointment as the new Glentoran manager.

The 54-year-old former Everton star was confirmed as the Irish League club’s new boss on a “multi-year contract” on Monday.

Glentoran have not won a league title since 2009 and sit 11 points behind leaders Coleraine in the Irish Premiership.

“I’ll give the club everything and I expect the players to give everything as well,” Ferguson said during a news conference on Monday.

“Hopefully we can compete with the teams at the top of the league and get a bit closer to them. At the minute we’re bit adrift of the top two or three.

“I’ll bring a football team that will really run, run and run. I’ll push them as hard as I can and set them up tactically well.

“Defensively we have been very good but we’ve lacked in creating chances so hopefully we can play attacking football.”

Ferguson, who also played as a towering striker with Dundee United and Newcastle United, has managed Forest Green Rovers and Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

His coaching career includes being assistant manager at Everton under renowned managers Carlo Ancelotti and Rafael Benitez, and also two spells as caretaker boss.

Glentoran have struggled to challenge for the title despite significant investment from owner Ali Pour and the adoption of a full-time professional model in recent years.

Ferguson said he jumped at the opportunity to get back in football after two years out of the game and is confident the club will give him financial backing.

“It’s a great chance for me to get into football,” he added.

“I’ve been out of football for two years. I didn’t know if was going to get back in or do television work but it’s a great chance for me.

“They’ve got ambition. I spoke to the owner Ali [Pour] and they’ve got the ambition to get this club back to what it was before.

“I know they haven’t won a title in 17 years. I’m a people person and when I met him we got on – I think we’ll get the backing from him as he’s backed the club for the last number of years.”