Never one to miss an opportunity to gain a psychological advantage, Roddy Collins plans on using Cork City's current traumas to get the upper hand when they visit Tolka Park to play his Dublin City tonight.
Cork management and staff met on Monday evening before issuing a statement in an apparent show of unity following recent allegations of dressing-room unrest.
Disgruntled striker George O'Callaghan was critical of the way he feels he's been treated when speaking after the defeat at Bohemians last Friday, a game he started on the bench.
"Cork are having massive problems down there," said Collins. "There is total unrest in the dressing-room. When you have a player saying that foreign players are coming in, you are knackered. When you see a meeting like that; that's bad.
"I've no doubt that they will come here firing on all cylinders and everything that's happened will be forgotten about - if it works out for them.
"But the longer the game doesn't go for them, the players minds may weaken and they will look for a cop out, 'ahh, we'd a bad week, blah, blah blah'.
"Whatever happens, we are absolutely ready for them. We'll be as strong as an oak tree when they come at us."
Former Irish youth captain Shaun Byrne has left Dublin, citing the travelling from England as too much of a strain. Efan Ekoku returns, though fellow veteran Carlton Palmer will only travel if he feels he has fully recovered from a thigh strain.
Last week's 3-1 win over Shamrock Rovers - Collins' first victory in charge - has given Dublin a lift, though they remain seven points adrift at the bottom.
Liam Kearney returns to the Cork starting 11 after a virus.
St Patrick's Athletic are missing Keith Fahey and Des Byrne, both shown straight red cards for dissent in Monday's defeat to Shelbourne, for the trip to Derry City.
Paul Donnelly, Karim El Khebir and Mark Casey come into contention to start. Paul Osam and Brendan Markey, restricted to just 45 minutes each on Monday, have been passed fit.
Peter Hutton is suspended for Derry, though they have defender Clive Delaney back following a hamstring strain. Winger Michael Holt is a doubt with a similar complaint.
