SPORTSPEOPLE are supposed to focus on 'the next game' only but Cliftonville players and supporters should take it as a confidence boost that their new management team approaches things differently.
Peter Murray, back as assistant to stand-in boss Tommy Breslin after the departure of Gerard Lyttle to Sligo Rovers, not only talks about beating champions-elect Linfield this afternoon.
`Minto' also repeatedly refers to the games that will follow. 'Games', not 'game'.
The Reds are only guaranteed one more match, in the Europa League play-off semi-finals, against either Glenavon or Dungannon Swifts, depending on the final table positions.
Yet Murray and Breslin are clearly thinking about reaching that play-off final again – and winning it again – as Cliftonville did last season.
"Saturday's Saturday, but our main concern is obviously the two play-off games, they are the big ones," declared Murray.
That's not to say they won't want their players trying their hardest to deny Linfield the Gibson Cup, as Murray makes clear:
"The first thing I said to the players was 'I'm sure a lot of you can't wait for the season to end because it's been quite poor, but that's totally wrong.'
"People would give their right arm to be playing, Linfield coming to win the title at your own ground – you would never let it happen if you had anything about you at all. That's Linfield or anybody coming to win a league title.
"After that, two games to play for Europe, it's a golden opportunity."
Cliftonville are caught between the Hatchetmen and the deep blue sea, as defeat for Linfield combined with Crusaders beating Glenavon would complete a title hat-trick for the Shore Road side.
Yet Murray insists that doesn't matter – they simply want a return to the atmosphere that brought two league triumphs to Solitude: "That doesn't really concern us, all we want is to get a good performance and get the crowd behind the team.
"The crowd just wants to see good, honest performances, even if we lose. If the players give their all, the crowd will respond to that.
"We need to get the crowd back behind the team. In our days the crowd were right behind us, roaring us on. At times during sticky patches it was the crowd that got us over the line. It has been very quiet recently."
That's been the case on the pitch too, even in training on Thursday night: "The players were very quiet; we couldn't believe how quiet they were. Obviously confidence seems to be at an all-time low."
A home win at Solitude, if not quite 'mission impossible' is certainly mission 'improbable'.
Linfield are the form team this calendar year; since their home defeat by Coleraine on January 3 they've been almost unstoppable. Indeed only relegated Portadown, with a 1-1 draw at Windsor on February 17, have stopped David Healy's men winning all their games since that loss to the Bannsiders.
The Blues haven't lost away in the League since October 18 – but that was at Solitude. It's worth recalling that that was the first of two 2-1 losses to Cliftonville this season, and Murray admits:
"We have reminded the players of their ability, that's a big plus. We'd like the players to be more vocal, but I'd rather have the ability there, you've a chance with ability."
The Reds will be positive: "We're not going to shut up shop, we never did that, we always believe in our own ability."
That approach is probably the right one, given that the Reds have only kept one clean sheet in their last 10 league matches, and none in the last seven.
Murray know the task today is tough: "Miracles can't be worked – what you can do is give people a lead, give them a licence to play and express themselves. It's very difficult to turn it round, there is a severe lack of confidence.
"But Tommy is saying `How lucky are we to have this opportunity?' This is a game any player worth his salt would want to be involved in.
"We had a bit of fun in training, Tommy's man-management skills are excellent.
"Call us foolish or whatever, but we're going out to win this game."
Not just this one either: "We'll be going to win the last three games. If you can't get up for that…"
TODAY'S DANSKE BANK PREMIERSHIP MATCHES:
Ballinamallard v Carrick
Cliftonville v Linfield
Coleraine v Ballymena United
Crusaders v Glenavon
Dungannon Swifts v Portadown
Glentoran v Ards
