Stephen Bradley insists Shamrock Rovers won't put any extra currency on tomorrow's derby with Bohemians - even though the Hoops will fall 13 points behind the league leaders if they lose at Dalymount Park.
Like Rovers, Bohs have only lost once in the early stages of the season but while Rovers picked up their first win at Dundalk last week, Bohs have won six of their opening seven fixtures ahead of the big clash.
"They’re playing well and had a great start, winning six from seven, including a late winner in Sligo last week," acknowledged Hoops boss Bradley.
READ MORE: Doubts over Bohs future dispelled for Ali Coote by timely Declan Devine call
"When you look at the attacking part of the pitch – with Connolly, Afolabi, Coote and Akintunde – they’re as good as any team in the league. They’ve shown that to date and we know it’s a difficult one.
The full time versus part time dynamic that has been a part of the narrative when the clubs meet has largely gone out of the fixture this season.
"I think the whole part-time, full-time thing can be used whatever way you want," said Bradley. "Whether you train in the morning or evening doesn’t make you part-time or full-time.
"They’ve already shown that they’re stronger than the last few years.
"Their squad is stronger and I’ve no doubt they’ll be even stronger when they get the new stadium. Stronger teams and better stadiums can only be good for the league.
"It’s a rivalry we all know. That’s only going to get bigger so it’s one you have to look forward to and embrace it."
Despite playing catch-up so early there is no sense of panic from Rovers, who are looking this season to emulate the four in a row success the club achieved in the 1980s.
With that in mind, Bradley is keen not to over-egg the latest collision of the bitter rivals and disagrees with the suggestion that it feels like more than three points at stake for this one.
"No," he said. "You can’t be successful as a team over the long term with that mentality.
"If you can feel you can raise your game for one, two or three games per year, you can never be successful. It has to be a level of performance and mentality every day and week.
"I get the passion and rivalry but that’s a totally different thing. It’s natural, part of football and why we play the game. Without that, it’s nothing. We saw during Covid, without fans and love for clubs, football is non-existent.
"It’s about our mentality in the dressing-room. You don’t approach games any differently."
Obviously, Bradley acknowledges, Rovers don't want to fall a further three points behind.
"No, but you can’t focus on anything (like that)," he stated. "We focus on performance.
"I think we were 11 points behind last year. A few years ago, we were 15 ahead of Dundalk and they came back and won.
"You can’t focus on the points difference, at this stage It’s about focusing on what’s in front of you. Very rarely do you finish in a League position that you don’t deserve.
"We’ve been in a good place. I'm saying it for weeks. I’m not on social media, don’t buy the papers. I don’t see what’s being said. Sometimes you get things sent to you but I don't read about it.
"I feel we’ve been in a good place. Take out the Cork game, which was crazy, we’ve been playing well. Results and goals change people's perspective but we’ve been like that for weeks.
"Take the game on Friday (a 4-0 win), the game before that we could have done that to Pats. You could feel that.
"They’re top of the League, flying, the crowd will be up for it. We know all that. If we go to the level of performance we have, I think we’ll be fine."
Ronan Finn is fit and available for the Hoops, as is Roberto Lopes, who only returned from international duty with Cape Verde the day before the Dundalk game last week.
Trevor Clarke missed the victory with a knock but has made a quick recovery.
But Liam Burt has missed the last two weeks with osteitis pubis and remains sidelined. "He played through it last year but never got it right," said Bradley.
"He’s not been able to train properly all year so we sat down and said we’d take him out for four or five weeks to get it right for later in the season."
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