Tiernan Lynch can be Derry City's Lynchpin says Larne's Joe Thomson

​The 2022 FAI Cup winner with the Candy Stripes knows first hand the 'meticulous' and 'hard working' nature of the newly installed Brandywell boss having left Foyleside in January 2023 to play under him at Inver Park.

He went on to win the NIFL Premiership with the Invermen that season and has been part of their record-breaking European run.

And so the Scotsman wasn't surprised when Lynch was unveiled as Ruaidhri Higgins' successor this week.

Larne majority shareholder Kenny Bruce described Lynch as 'the secret sauce' in the East Antrim club's success and Thomson believes the Belfast man fully deserves the chance to take charge of a club the stature of Derry City.

"He's done brilliantly and deserves the chance," said the former Celtic and Dunfermline man. "He's achieved everything he set out to do at Larne so I don't think anyone would stand in his way.

"He's earned his chance to prove himself elsewhere which is obviously what he wanted to do.

"Fingers crossed everything works out for him and Seamus [Lynch]. They were great to me at Larne and we were successful together.

"What I can say about Tiernan is that he's probably one of the most hard working people that I've come across.

"He talked about hard work from himself and the team in his interviews this week and that would be bang on because that's one thing he's massive on is hard work.

"Talking to him about the League of Ireland and Derry, he knew I went to a lot of games and he always spoke very highly of the league and was always enthusiastic about the league so it didn't surprise me that he got the job.

"I thought he would be one of the frontrunners when I saw Ruaidhrí stepped aside and I thought it would be stupid if Derry didn't look at him."

The expectation levels at Derry have risen exponentially over the past few years but Thomson reckons Lynch is more than capable of dealing with the intense pressure of leading the Brandywell outfit.

"We've not been in a position where we've lost a number of games in a row at Larne but I know what it's like when you're not going well at Derry.

"I saw it before I left. There were a couple of games and the fans aren't shy in letting you know. So he'll have that to deal with but he's thick skinned.

“Expectations will be higher but he knows what he's walking into. He's a smart man and fingers crossed everything goes well."

Part of his brief as Derry boss is to grow every facet of the club and Thomson pointed to how Lynch transformed the structures of Larne FC during his time.

"Look at the circumstances he went into at Larne when he first went in. He's obviously walking into better circumstances at Derry but I think his budget was absolutely tiny when he went into Larne.

"They were bottom of the Championship and I don’t think they had anywhere to train, nothing.

"So if there's a man who's going to build because I don't think he's just going to build the first team, there will be a lot more to it.

"He'll push for the training ground and other things in the club. He's a really professional manager and will be addressing other things.

"He's had the experience with Larne and if that's the road Derry wants to go down to enhance all different aspects of the club then there's no better man.

"He's big on nutrition. He brought the physio and sport scientist who were big on that and echoed his beliefs and they lent on each other.

"We all had our individual programmes to do in the morning whether that was mobility, strength work, injury prevention or whatever to make sure you were ready for training.

"He's meticulous in what he does and one of the biggest things you can say about him is that he's always wanting to learn.

"He will listen to people, especially people who have been really successful. He's always looking to learn and be the best.

"Everything he built at Larne was really professional and everything was there for us to be the best we could be when the game time came around." Thomson also maintained an excellent relationship with ex-City manager Higgins and he believes the Limavady man doesn't get enough credit for how far he took the club during his tenure.

"I think Ruaidhrí cared so much, being a fan. It mean a lot. I think people are quick to forget where the club was when he came in.

"We were sitting bottom of the league when he came in with one point after six games. And then to qualify for Europe that same season.

“The season ticket sales have gone up and I wouldn't be surprised if the club merchandise sales have gone up. You can’t go into the car now without seeing people with Derry gear on.

"A lot of the good work over the last few years has been down to Ruaidhrí, especially the cup final and coming close in the league a couple of times.

"I know football is a fickle game and the big prize was the league title and it wasn’t to be but people forget just how much work has been done over the last few years and how far the club has come in that short space of time.”