Former Tyrone star forward Peter Canavan believes Derry boss Mickey Harte holds "all the aces" ahead of Saturday evening's Ulster SFC quarter-final clash with Donegal.
It's a fascinating match-up. Derry are the Allianz Football League Division 1 champions and genuine contenders to lift the Sam Maguire Cup, while Donegal are once again under the guidance of Jim McGuinness, a man who knows how to shake up the landscape and upset the odds.
Harte - who led Tyrone to three All-Ireland titles - and McGuinness are two of Gaelic football's biggest characters, and though Canavan expects Donegal to give a good account of themselves, he can't see beyond the Oak Leaf County.
"They've had a bit of history down through the years. It'd be fair to say that McGuinness has held the upper hand in a lot of those clashes but I'd say this time around it's Mickey Harte that's holding all the aces.
"I don't think Mickey has to do a lot in terms of his troops. They play to a very set system, they know what they're about, they're a team that's been in development this (past) four, five years.
"It's been an upward trend. A lot of people felt when Mickey came in he was going to have to add to the Derry panel to strengthen them. He has managed that. He's brought in two, three, you could say four players that have really come on.
"They've had plenty of experience through the league and now Derry have a strong panel.
"They don't have their 12, 13 players maybe that people were suggesting last year; they have a really strong panel. There's a sense of togetherness there, so I don't think the Derry management have to do a lot."
Derry certainly look like their further down the tracks in terms of being serious contenders, but Canavan also admitted that defeat tomorrow could be a blessing in disguise.
Harte will want, and expect, a victory - but if they were to exit Ulster early, their All-Ireland chances might actually be enhanced.
"If they happen to lose Saturday's game, it's not the end of the world for them," he added.
"They'll have time to recover, refresh and reset their targets. They could be in a better position.
"They know what they're going to be up against in terms of Donegal. It's a case of whether in the space of four or five months, Jim McGuinness can... he's managed to improve them, there's no doubt about that. They've won Division 2, but can he bring them on that much in the space of four or five months to challenge what many see as All-Ireland favourites?
"I'm not convinced about that. I do believe that Donegal will certainly give them a game, that they'll make it difficult for Derry, but I just think it's a massive step up in such a short space of time."
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