Much of the narrative so far around the Allianz Football League has been about Dublin's struggles. They currently prop up the Division 1 standings with no points after four games and the spectre of relegation looms large.
Another defeat away to Tyrone on Sunday next, coupled with a Kildare win on their travels against Armagh, will condemn the Dubs to Division 2 for 2023.
Philly McMahon, who called time on his inter-county career last autumn, feels that a win of any sort could reignite things. However, the eight-time All-Ireland also believes that a big challenge awaits some of his former colleagues and others if they are to get back to the heights of before.
Speaking at the launch of Darkness into Light, the annual fundraising event organised by Pieta and supported by Electric Ireland, McMahon said: "I suppose I did see it (the fall off) coming but I didn't see it happening this soon. I think maybe, it's a little bit harsh on the group to say that it's going to consistently drop off because I just think, maybe one game, that will turn it around.
"They had a bad start against Armagh (round 1 of the league) - a team they'd be expecting to beat and that snowballed then, into the next couple of games - Kerry Mayo and then Kildare, who would have been looking at that game, looking to make a statement - kind of saying, if we can't beat the Dubs here now when they're kind of low on confidence, then we're not going to do it in the Leinster championship. So it's a big challenge ahead for Dublin. But if they come through it, I've no doubt they'll be all the better for it but it's a big challenge and it's going to be difficult."
Like other observers, McMahon has pointed to Dublin's slow starts in their league, a situation that leaves them facing an even more uphill task when up against tight defensive structures.
"So what I think is happening is that they're starting slow and then the opposition are sitting back, decreasing the chances they can get score from," he summarised.
"Then they're countering Dublin - just like when Armagh got that high ball into Rian O'Neill. So they need to get ahead, to transition better from defence to attack. They need to be more clinical in front of goal and they need to be tighter in defence in terms of the space being created in the full back line."
After the disappointment of losing a decent lead against Mayo in last year's All-Ireland semi-final and then this poor start to the league, the pressure is on Dessie Farrell and his management to come through this difficult, transitional period.
McMahon has faith in that set-up but would like to see who are the emerging leaders within the squad to help the Dubs through this sticky patch.
"The players would definitely have huge respect for Dessie, his management team and all that.
"They've a really good management team, that are learning on the job at the minute, because it’s only their third season. It took three seasons for Jim Gavin to get that momentum, didn’t it? He won it {All-Irelands} in 2013, lost 2014, and then 2015 to 2019, it speaks for itself.
"It’s going to be interesting and exciting for someone that loves culture, development and performance coaching like I do, to see what leaders come out of this. Because we know there’s leaders there, the Ciarán Kilkennys, Brian Fentons, Jonny Coopers, Mick Fitzs', all of those lads are definitely leaders.
"And they would have rubbed off on big leaders from previous years. So it’s going to be interesting to see now who’s the emerging leaders. Because it’s not just about the leadership, it’s not all about your captain, your manager. It’s about your leadership, your leadership group, your emerging leaders around that. And then how that rubs off on the next generation coming in."
