How apt that Paddy McLaughlin should conduct his final press conference of a breathless season surrounded by dumbbells, heavy weights and an assault bike.
After muscling Cliftonville into an unlikely title challenge, the Reds boss found himself processing a mix of emotions in the middle of the Glentoran gym on Saturday evening.
Frustration at missing out on Gibson Cup glory by a solitary point, but a keen sense of pride after taking champions Linfield to the wire.
Read more: Linfield crowned champions for 56th time after final day victory
Back in August Cliftonville were rank outsiders with bookmakers and tipped for a season of mid-table mediocrity by an array of pundits.
Fast forward eight months and the Solitude men can reflect on a first top-two finish in the league since the late Tommy Breslin won back-to-back titles in 2013 and 2014.
They are 22 points better off than last season and can also look back on League Cup success in March and automatic qualification for the Europa Conference League.
“I’m so proud of the players,” said McLaughlin. “This was our 50th game of the season and they have put their heart and soul into every match.
“We came within a point of Linfield and winning the title and it’s an incredible achievement for our club in terms of our (part-time) status. I couldn’t be prouder.”
After mixing it with Linfield and eclipsing the likes of Glentoran, Larne and Crusaders in a competitive division, McLaughlin is eager Cliftonville “kick on” next season.
“It’s important we build on this,” he said. “There’s no point running Linfield and Glentoran close this year and drifting away next season.
“It’s a competitive league and a lot of clubs are full-time, but it’s important we try and stay in touch with those clubs over the next two years.
“To stay in amongst them this season was great, but it’s now about next year and beyond. There’s definitely a hunger and desire there amongst the players to do that.
“I’m looking at them in the changing room - after finishing second in the league, winning the League Cup and getting into Europe - and they have their heads in their hands.
“We have gone from fighting to get into a European play-off in recent years and now we’re disappointed at finishing second.
“There has been an incredible turnaround in mentality but we have to maintain that and build on it.”
Asked if he has any “regrets” at one or two results that got away or missed opportunities to go top when Linfield dropped points in the run-in, McLaughlin replied: “No, no regrets.
“Listen, you probably regret every point you drop, but if you live on regrets you’ll never move forward. We’ve matched Linfield and Glentoran and been excellent.
“People say we have over achieved, but I don’t think that. I always believed the talent was there. Consistency was the key for us and our consistency levels have been excellent.
“People might cling onto results that didn’t go our way, but every team could do that. You don’t live on regrets. You build on what you’ve got and try to add to it next year.”
Cliftonville needed to beat the Glens in East Belfast and hope Linfield, who were chasing a fourth straight title, slipped up at home to Coleraine.
But the Blues got the job done with two quickfire goals from defender Ben Hall and on-loan Rangers striker Chris McKee just before the half-time break.
A largely comfortable 2-0 win over the Bannsiders secured the Windsor Park club its 56th league title and the fifth of David Healy’s seven year reign.
“We knew what was at stake and the possibility to win the league was there,” said McLaughlin, who saw Gallagher and Curran fire the Reds into a 2-0 lead before Seanan Clucas replied late on for the Glens.
“We knew we had to go for it and we did that. We had nothing to lose and everything to gain and we went for the win. We got that but unfortunately it didn’t work out for us elsewhere.
“Credit to Linfield. Any team that wins the title has earned it. They are worthy winners and we congratulate David (Healy) and his team and staff.
“We pushed them to the last kick of the ball and we were one point short. You take your hats off to them. They are worthy champions.”
Read more: Linfield captain Jamie Mulgrew aims dig at rivals as he savours 10th title success
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