EUROPA CONFERENCE LEAGUE: 'It would mean the world to us'

Europa Conference League First Qualifying Round

Bruno’s Magpies vs. Derry City

Europa Point Stadium

Today, 5pm

Ruaidhri Higgins is hoping his team can create new, magical memories for supporters as Derry City kick off their new Europa Conference League campaign in Gibraltar today.

The Candystripes face Bruno’s Magpies in what are expected to be scorching conditions in Gibraltar with the game kicking off at the earlier time of 5pm. Last year, Higgins and his players enjoyed three rounds of European football before a heartbreaking exit to Tobol Lostanay on a penalty shoot-out, and while that defeat hurt, the memories created by that run of six games will remain long in the memory.

“It's a time of the year where I think it captures the imagination of especially people from this city,” Higgins said. “I think there's been some amazing European nights over the years and hopefully we can have a couple more.

“You have to prepare slightly differently because they're not in our league. We have to do a wee bit more homework, find out a wee bit more about them. Conditions and stuff like that are slightly different, so you do have to prepare a bit differently. It's a game we're looking forward to. It's a time of the year that's really exciting and it whets the appetite and I'm very proud to be back in Europe again.”

Derry City go into these games against the Magpies as favourites, with many people already looking at a potential glamour tie against FC Copenhagen in the Second Qualifying round. Higgins unsurprisingly is not amongst those looking ahead.

“That's not up for me to say who's favourites and who's not,” he insisted. “A lot of it is guesswork in my view and what we've seen of them, they're a talented side and they can hurt you. If we're not at it and if we're not right then we'll get done over but it's 180 minutes or 190 minutes probably, they try and get themselves through and that's what we'll try and do.”

“Copenhagen is so far down my list of priorities at this moment in time that it's frightening. We understand we have a really difficult task at hand. They'll be a well-coached team, they have some talented players and if we think like that then we won't progress to the next stage, it's as simple as that. We've seen it over the last number of years that the smaller nations are really improving and we've done nothing to turn our nose up at anybody.”

Heat factor

The Derry City players will face a huge obstacle in the heat as part of this game, with Higgins understanding that it will be a significant factor in the game.

“It's obviously a factor,” he acknowledged. “We don't live in the most tropical climate in the world. Limavady is quite tropical actually, but this part of the world wouldn't be. We don't live in a warm climate, so obviously conditions will be tough. There's no point in saying otherwise. But we have to manage it in and out of possession, and we'll use 16 players. But we've got fit lads, good professionals who look after themselves properly and we'll be ready to go.”

The Premier Division title is clearly the priority for everyone at Derry City this season, but Higgins understands the magic of European football and is confident his players understand are of a similar mindset.

“Football is a short career, particularly for players, hopefully not for me,” he joked. “It's really, really important that when you finish as a player, as a coach, as a manager, that you have really enjoyable experiences to look back on. So far, we've had plenty but you always want to create more and you want to be greedy.

“I remember that feeling on the pitch over in Finland after we went through last year. We had about 50 supporters there, some club officials, players. All in all, there might have been about 80 people connected to this club on the ground against a few thousand fans. That feeling walking off the pitch after going through was a special feeling. Hopefully we can replicate those sorts of nights.”

There is no shortage of European experience in this current Derry City squad, and Higgins does feel that fact, plus last year’s campaign will help his team significantly this time around.

“I think it does,” he agreed. “I think players and staff, we've good experience and it's important and it's not everything but it does help, there's no doubt about that. We just want to go there and try and stamp our authority on the game and as I say conditions will be slightly different to what we're used to and we'll have to keep that in the back of our mind.”