Jon Daly says he cannot afford to get wrapped up in the emotion of Tim Clancy’s departure from St Pat’s.
The assistant manager has been promoted to top dog on an interim basis as the Saints assess their options.
Clancy parted ways with the club on Tuesday after a run of three defeats left the club seventh in the table.
And former Rangers striker Daly - appointed by Clancy at the start of last season - is in charge for Friday’s clash at Cork City.
Daly said: “It’s never nice to lose your job and even more so when it’s a friend. I’m disappointed to see him leave but that’s football and the nature of the beast.
“It happened quickly. I spoke to Tim on Tuesday morning and then I got a call 10 minutes later to say he was meeting the chairman.
“I’ve been in football a long time and you kind of know where that conversation might go.
“It’s never nice but I’ve experienced it as a player and a coach and you have to get on the horse again and try to get a reaction on Friday.”
If Daly gets a reaction and results improve, he could become a contender for the permanent job even though St Pat’s are assessing other potential candidates.
Daly, who has a Pro Licence, was interim boss of Scottish top flight side Hearts on two previous occasions and also managed their Under-20s.
He is ruling nothing out and said: “Tim brought me in as assistant and Garrett Kelleher has asked if I'd step in short-term.
“How long I’ll be in charge, I don't know. How long is a piece of string? We’ll see how it goes.
“Whether it’s myself or someone else coming in, they’re coming into a good group of players capable of competing at the top end of the table.”
And speaking to St Pat’s TV, Daly added: “It's a fresh start for everyone and there are players who might have been out of the picture who could come in.
“We have to get over the disappointment of the last few results and the last few days. It's a weird industry where you have to be a little emotionless.
“All we can control is the game in Cork and try to get a reaction. We’ve not been at the level we know we can be at, so it’s important we show that we’re a good team.”
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