Derby County v Doncaster Rovers: Rotation is possible as Rovers sort out their priorities

But O'Driscoll, who was interviewed for the Burnley job last week, has stressed that Championship survival is still the club's main priority this season and may rotate his squad against Derby County.

"Retaining our Championship status is the aim, first and foremost," he said. "And I wouldn't like to jeopardise that just to get my name in the record books."

O'Driscoll, however, is confident that, even with changes, his side possess the ability to stay in the compeitition. Rovers also inflicted a 2-0 defeat on Derby last month in the league.

"Financially, the FA Cup is attractive," he said. "It is an opportunity to get into the fifth round for the first time in God knows how many years but it is a game that you don't need any motivating for.

"Get to the fifth round and, arguably, you are guaranteed an attractive fixture."

O'Driscoll, meanwhile, has praised his players for ignoring the recent speculation about his own future and concentrating on their jobs.

"A few of them are out of contract and it would be easy for them to be distracted, especially with all the stuff last week about me," he said.

"But it has been like water off a duck's back.

"They discussed it among themselves but they got on with it and have not used it as an excuse for playing poorly or training poorly.

"I think they have been a credit to their club."

With seven wins in the last nine games, Rovers are now 12th in the Championship while today's opponents Derby are six places lower down the table.

"Everyone on the football side knows what we are trying to do," said O'Driscoll.

"The longer it goes on and we are successful with it, the harder it is to keep everyone's feet on the ground because people start looking beyond the next training session and beyond the next game. But that is what fuels football and the difficulty is reigning that in."

Rovers are still in talks with Southampton over the possibility of extending midfielder Simon Gillett's loan deal until the end of the season.