GO DOWN FIGHTING

Collins will play to win until very end

THE stress of this terrible Mets season showed itself Friday night in yet another chest cold for Terry Collins.

“That’s why I’m sick,’’ Collins told The Post at Citi Field before the Mets were scheduled to take on the Marlins. “My immune system is down because I give a s--t.’’

With 43 games remaining and the Mets at 53-66, Collins still cares like he did on Opening Day.

Here is what Collins is going to do the rest of the way. He’s going to manage games to win. With the younger Mets, he is going to try to develop “winning’’ players. When the season is over, he is going to meet with general manager Sandy Alderson and ownership like he does every year.

“I’ll worry about [the future] then,’’ Collins told me. “No matter where I am Oct. 2, my head is going to be held up high. I’ve given my heart and soul and you can’t do any more than that.’’ No, you can’t. No one knows the reality of the situation better than Collins. After seven years as Mets manager, he likely will not be back for an eighth season. He wants to come back, make no mistake. But management will make that decision and there are rumblings that someone like Athletics third base coach Chip Hale, a one-time Mets coach, or the Dodgers’ Bob Geren could be the next Mets manager.

There could be a whole new look in the dugout next season.

You can be sure others will be given a pass for this Mets mess because of the injuries, but no matter what happens, Collins will live with the consequences. Like he said, his head will be held high.

“These seasons are all the same to me,’’ Collins explained. “I’m not going to change anything. I’m not worrying about October 2nd or whatever.’’

The Collins that Mets fans have seen for 1,091 games plus the World Series run in 2015 is the same Collins you are going to see the rest of the way. “Absolutely,’’ Collins said. “My job has always been to try and win the [bleeping] game,’’ Collins said. “You do what you have to do to win a baseball game. When that’s no longer important, when that’s out, then I am going to do something else.

“I’m not somebody who is going to sit on the side and say, ‘Woe is us, we’ve traded all these guys, we’ve got all these injuries, oh well, let’s just write this off.’ Bulls--t. I don’t want [the players] to do that, so why would I do that?

“Part of my job is to give our fan base something to cheer about. If you think I’m just going to sit in the corner of the dugout and watch these games go on, you better get somebody else.’’

That is the pride Collins, 68, always has taken with him to the managerial job, whether he was working in Houston, Anaheim or with the Mets. That’s who he is.

In the minors, in such cities as Albuquerque, the job was a little different but it was about winning to a degree.

“I do believe there is a correlation between developing and developing winners,’’ Collins said. “I do believe that. I just don’t think you throw them out there, bulls--t, teach them how to win. You bet your ass. There’s too many times during a game when you don’t have access to tell a guy here is what you need to do here to help us win a game.

“They should know the situations. That’s part of the development side to me.’’

Like the other night against the Yankees, when he pinch hit for rookie Dominic Smith with Jose Reyes against Aroldis Chapman. The move worked, by the way, as Reyes singled and Amed Rosario homered.

That’s part of the challenge too.

“You know what, a lot of these guys have never been pinch-hit for and how do you like it? Do you like it, no, then what are you going to do about it?’’

Yes, come Oct. 2, no matter what happens, Terry Collins is going to be just fine.