THE biggest surprise of 2020 so far is that Cliftonville are sitting at the summit of the Irish Premiership. Nobody, not even the most optimistic Red supporter, would have countenanced such a lofty proposition a month ago.
And yet, there they are, leading favourites Linfield by three points after banking 12 points out of 12 over the Christmas period.
Coleraine, Crusaders, Larne and Glenavon were put to the sword between December 22 and January 1 – a mad amount of fixtures for part-time footballers.
After the amount of energy that was poured into those back-to-back wins over Coleraine and Crusaders and then having to face an ever-improving Larne side at Inver Park was some test of character.
By the time Glenavon turned up to Solitude on New Year’s Day, both teams – but particularly Cliftonville – were running on empty.
Given that McLaughlin made minimal personnel changes across those season-defining fixtures, something had to give.
Captain Chris Curran was forced out of the Glenavon game after just 17 minutes, making for young winger Thomas Maguire who scored his first senior goal just before the break that ended up winning the game.
Maguire's finish was one rare moment of quality in the game.
It was the kind of sluggish afternoon where all that mattered was the result.
Afterwards, it was put to McLaughlin that his players probably deserved a night off training given the energy his players had expended and the results they’d achieved during the holiday period.
All they’ve seen between games are ice baths and foam rollers.
The Cliftonville manager agreed with the sentiment that his players did indeed deserve a night off but that it wasn’t forthcoming.
The team’s sights were already fixed on Irish Cup opponents Hanover this weekend.
Glenavon boss Gary Hamilton bemoaned the lack of goal chances his side created at Solitude and how they failed to get in behind the Cliftonville defence throughout the 90 minutes. Many other manager managers have felt the same.
They may be the lowest scorers among the Premiership’s top six but they boast the best defensive record, conceding just 15 goals.
This time last year the Reds conceded 17 goals over the Christmas period alone.
It’s been a staggering turnaround since McLaughlin’s arrival in the hot-seat back in February.
Even before former Cliftonville manager Barry Gray departed the club, the wheels had probably come off the wagon weeks earlier.
With Gray’s team, you didn’t quite know what you were going to get from one week to the next. One week they'd play scintillating football, the next they’d be worse than you could ever imagine.
And too often they needed to score two or three goals to win a game.
But it should not be forgotten Gray’s ability to deliver European football just days after the side had lost an Irish Cup final in 2018 was a startling achievement.
He also signed Conor McMenamin and Ryan Curran.
My initial reaction to their arrivals and their early performances were that they would both struggle to become regulars in any Cliftonville side.
The biggest mistake you can make in football is rush to judgement.
McMenamin struck me as workmanlike but not particular creative, while Ryan Curran was too tentative in the wide position.
Would they really improve what was already at the club?
And it was doubtful Cliftonville could make a successful central defensive partnership out of Jamie Harney and Garry Breen, as there was compelling statistical evidence that suggested as much.
How wrong can you be?
McLaughlin has had a transformative impact on the club, both on a collective and individual basis. But, of course, the players themselves deserve weighty praise.
Delve into each player’s journey and you often get a better understanding of what their starting point was upon their arrival at the north Belfast club.
Jamie Harney had spells with West Ham and Colchester United and was plagued by a back injury before taking a break from the game.
Nine of out 10 players in Harney’s shoes would have probably never returned to play at any notable level and been left to tell just how demoralising their cross-channel experiences were.
It took Harney a while to acclimatise to Irish League football. In recent times he’s been rock-like alongside the equally impressive Breen.
For years, Jordan Owens bullied any Cliftonville defender he faced in the St Stephen’s Day derby clash.
But Harney was the one who pushed Owens to the periphery of the stage he usually owns.
Harney has been nothing short of magnificent and is still only 23.
Conor McMenamin had spells at Linfield and Glentoran. To the casual observer, his career seemed to have lost some of his early momentum.
McMenamin’s evolution has been the most impressive of all at Solitude.
Since his crucial goals in sealing European football at the end of last season, McMenamin has morphed from being a hard-working wide player to a regular game-winner who now beats players with the minimum of fuss and has taken a huge amount of the goal-scoring burden off Joe Gormley.
He is unrecognisable to the player that arrived at Solitude last season. Likewise, Ryan Curran who has grown into a regular first teamer showing great technical ability and awareness that fits the Cliftonville mould.
Ronan Doherty and Conor McDermott needed less time to settle at the club, Richard Brush and Aaron Donnelly continue to excel in goal and at left-back, respectively, while Irish League fans will be hearing more about Thomas Maguire, Ronan Wilson and Calvin McCurry.
Defensive pivot Liam Bagnall might not be the initiator of attacks from his position but the way in which he harassed the Glenavon midfield and attackers in the closing stages was as crucial as Maguire's winning goal.
Last season, Cliftonville would almost certainly have lost to Coleraine and Crusaders, dropped points to Larne and coughed up a late equaliser to Glenavon.
To steal a phrase from Denmark international Thomas Delaney, trying to open up this Cliftonville team now is akin to trying to open a "can of beans with your bare hands".
As a consequence they may not be scoring as many goals as the rest of the top six, but they no longer have to score two or three goals to win games.
What we've learned from the Christmas period is that it takes different amounts of time for players to settle and find their feet at clubs, and that Paddy McLaughlin's man-management and tactical nous have created serious momentum that probably hasn't been felt since the late, great Tommy Breslin graced the Solitude dug-out.
And, if you can help it, don't judge too quickly.
