Jim McGuinness' return to inter-county football was seen as box-office, and despite being just a few months into his second stint in charge of Donegal, the former All-Ireland winning manager has been central to a number of early season stories.
Prior to Christmas, one of McGuinness' first acts after returning to the Donegal job was to get a new privacy fence around the main training pitch in Convoy.
His first time in charge of the county was noted for high levels of secrecy, though the man himself at least could laugh off the hullabaloo over the spending of a reported €50,000 over a fence.
"I’m hoping we can get it triple-secured so the people who put out the stories in Donegal stay out," he told Donegal News. "There’s no moat but there could be an electric fence."
In January, there was a more prolonged period in the news after he won his appeal against an eight-week ban for fielding an ineligible player in the McKenna Cup win over Armagh.
Finbarr Roarty - 17 at the time of the clash with the Orchard County - was deemed to be underage for the game following a meeting of Ulster GAA officials.
The initial decision laid the blame at McGuinness' feet for being unaware Roarty was still 17 at the start of 2024, but the hearings committee found the infraction 'not proven' suggesting it may not have been viewed as the manager's responsibility.
That has been forgotten about as Donegal sit alongside Armagh at the top of Division 2 and look set for a swift return to the top-flight.
Speaking after their most recent victory, a five-point win over Louth in Ballyshannon, McGuinness was asked for his overall thoughts on the sport he left in 2014 to pursue coaching in soccer.
"It is challenging," he said. "We want to play transitional football. A lot of times it is not possible. There is a lot of tactical fouling going on, a lot of people slowing the game.
"I’m not sure if the officials are up to same level in terms of what the opposition teams are looking to do."
After guiding Donegal to a first Ulster title in 19 years in his first season in charge in 2011, McGuinness was subsequently castigated for the team's tactics in their narrow defeat to Dublin in the semi-final, with the term 'blanket defence' entering the Gaelic football lexicon.
While Sam Maguire was claimed 12 months later, the perception of 'defensive football’ and bodies behind the ball, rightly or wrongly, was attached to McGuinness’ strategy.
Speaking on the RTÉ GAA podcast, Lee Keegan is of the opinion that McGuinness’ comments at the weekend were purely with the Ulster championship in mind and the quarter-final date with Derry in their own back yard.
"Jim’s mind games, he’s always thinking ahead," he said. "I wouldn’t mind, but Donegal are as good as any of them I’d say (at tactical fouling).
"That’s Jim’s level of authority, thinking ‘where can I get that edge?’
"Not for league, for that first championship game, where can I get that little edge on any team?
"It’s a sign of Jim’s approach. Donegal are thinking down the line and Jim makes no bones about that."
The former Mayo defender has been impressed by their body of work to date, especially with Paddy McBrearty looking in excellent form already this year in an attack that is showing more promise.
"The scores they have run up – outside the Armagh game – have been huge, and that is not what we associated with them, particularly last year where they were so poor offensively," Keegan says.
"There is still a good bit of work to do. They are probably still a bit limited with their game plan.
"Can they evolve that a bit more? The likes of Derry will be too smart for that and would have their picking unless they adapt."
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