Declan Devine's response is short and to the point.
Are there any emotions bubbling up ahead of his first trip to the Ryan McBride Brandywell as an opposition manager?
“Nope, none at all,” he says, ahead of tonight’s top-of-the-table clash between Derry City and Bohemians.
“Just go and try to win the game.”
The two-time Derry manager, former player and a native of Foyleside, Devine could be forgiven if he felt a few extra goosebumps ahead of this one.
But there is more than enough around this fixture to distract from any homecoming narrative.
It’s an unlikely first-v-second clash, with few predicting in pre-season that Devine’s Bohemians outfit would be leading the charge, even at this early stage.
Both sides are keen to bounce back from painful home defeats three nights earlier - Bohs to bitter rivals Shamrock Rovers and Derry to Drogheda United.
And then there are the off-field concerns, with security forces raising the spectre of gun and bomb attacks in the city today, on the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.
Devine will have a busy time keeping the focus on the three points on offer.
Particularly after Friday night’s stinging defeat to derby rivals Rovers.
“We have to take it on the chin. We have a lot of players hurting in there, but at the same time there is a long way to go,” is the verdict.
“There are a lot of other clubs that would like to be sitting where we are sitting in terms of points return from the opening lump of games.
“We are very happy with where we are, we are not very happy with certain aspects of (Friday’s) game, but we have to learn.
“A lot of players here were playing their first Dublin derby and we’ve got to understand that these are things we have to make sure we can rectify as the season goes on.”
There was a little bit of time for reflection on Saturday morning, before switching all eyes to this evening’s Brandywell clash.
Bohs were in the ascendancy for the opening quarter against Rovers. After the concession of a goal just before half-time, they failed to get motoring again.
“We have to learn psychologically from the goal that so be it, you take your 1-0 and you make sure you don’t concede the second,” said Devine.
“I think the goal we gave away then was just as soft as the first one.
“But I can’t knock them. The boys have come to difficult venues, played here, difficult circumstances at times and up to now have been superb.”
Just as he was abrupt with his answer to the question about his Derry return, Devine swiftly batted away the notion that Rovers remained the benchmark for the rest of the title hopefuls.
“I couldn’t care about them, to be honest. I don’t care about them,” he said.
“We are just trying to make sure we get better week in, week out.
“They are still the league champions, good luck to them. But we don’t look at them and say, we have to get here.
“We have to just get the best out of our players and make sure we continue to improve.”
READ NEXT:
Willie Mullins lands 113,999/1 Easter Sunday eight-timer ahead of Irish Grand National
Tiger Woods withdraws from 2023 Masters after completing just seven holes of third round
Irish Grand National horse selector: Pick who to side with in the big race
Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts
