Declan O'Hara admitted the last few weeks had been "madness" but the interim Cliftonville boss is still hopeful of achieving his objective of securing European football for the club.
O'Hara stepped in to fill the void after Paddy McLaughlin left the Reds to take the Assistant Manager's role at Derry City.
It has so far gone to plan for O'Hara, who has brought Marc Smyth and Davy McAlinden into his coaching panel, as Cliftonville won their play-off semi-final against Coleraine to set-up a winner-takes-all shootout with Glentoran at The Oval on Saturday.
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But has the experience of leading the team over the past three games whetted his appetite about taking the job full-time?
"I don't know if I'd want it," joked O'Hara.
“It’s been madness. When the club asked me I was never for knocking them back.
“Everybody who knows me and knows who I am, will know I’m a Cliftonville man.
“I’ll do anything for them and they’ve asked me to step in for these four games.
“I’m here now and whatever happens happens.
“God help the next manager whoever it is because it’s full-time and you’re constantly thinking.
“To be quite honest, my main objective is to get the club into Europe and I still have a chance to do that.
“It’s down to the staff as well who have been excellent, they’ve worked hard and it showed tonight.
“I brought Marc in as he works for the club and Davy is someone who I’ve known for a long time and played with.
“I brought them in and they’ve been excellent over the last ten days, and Brendan Lynch has come in and helped us too.
“I know the information they’ve given our boys has been top notch and there’s been a lot of hours put in by the staff.
“It’s about getting people around you and they’ve been excellent."
First half goals from Ryan Curran and Ronan Doherty gave the Reds the advantage before Matthew Shevlin set up a tense finale.
There was relief for O'Hara and his players at the end as they withstood the Bannsiders pressure.
“I’m surprised it didn’t end 2-2 given how the previous games have gone," said the Cliftonville boss
“My boys were excellent, I can’t praise them enough as I’m so proud of them as they dug deep and stuck together.
“It was a great finish by Ryan Curran for a player who hasn’t played for a while, Ronan Doherty very rarely scores goals but it’s job done."
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