Jim McGuinness has produced an impressive start during his second spell as Donegal manager, with his team securing three wins out of three so far in their league campaign.
Promotion out of Division 2 was sure to be a priority for the county this season, something they look well on track to do. A win over promotion rivals Armagh this weekend would certainly put them in the driving seat in the division.
Of course, championship will be the main priority for this group, with many onlookers excited to see what McGuinness can do with the side upon his return. He made an immediate impact during his first spell in charge back in 2011, leading them to an Ulster title at the first attempt.
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Pat Spillane feels Jim McGuinness Donegal approach is nothing new
Jim McGuinness brought about a tactical revolution during his first spell in charge of Donegal, and having spent much of the last decade working in top level soccer, it was always going to see what he would bring to the table in 2024.
He has certainly made some interesting changes, introducing a high pressing style reminiscent of the 'gegenpress' approach made famous by Jurgen Klopp at Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool.
However, not everyone views this as a new innovation in the GAA.
Writing in the Sunday World, Pat Spillane said that Mick O'Dwyer used a similar tactic during his time in charge of Kerry as far back as the 1970s.
The messiah, Jim McGuinness, is back.
His latest innovation is the introduction of Jurgen Klopp’s gegenpressing tactic to Gaelic football. I don’t want to ruin the narrative, but Mick O’Dwyer was doing this in the 1970s.
Without the ball, everyone was a defender and when we had possession, everyone was an attacker.
Anyway, Donegal have made a decent start with Oisin Gallen emerging as a marquee forward. But a poor second-half performance against Derry in the McKenna Cup final and a laboured one-point win over Cavan in round two of the league suggests McGuinness still has a lot of work to do.
I doubt if the players at his disposal are as talented as the 2011 crew.
While Kerry no doubt led the way in the GAA during this period, whether the style was that similar to the one used by Jim McGuinness and the current Donegal side is certainly up for debate.
In any case, supporters in the Ulster country will be hoping that this tactical approach can bear fruit over the coming months.
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