2003/04 promises a lot with a European Championship finals in Italy at the end of it. I’m back in the Premier League and having had a season to consolidate and get the squad the way I want it, I’m confident of a top 5 finish. As we reached November, it’s fair to say things are going even better than I could have hoped.

The last update ended with France sacking Aime Jacquet, and their appointment shakes up World Football a great deal

Real Madrid are one of the powers in club football, so they’ve poached Valencia’s manager to try and maitain their lofty standards.

Fair enough. Transfer season is back in full swing, and look who’s making a familiar trip

Elsehwere, Newcastle are flexing their new found muscle having won the UEFA Cup and sign an England international

However, what they gain they also lose to even bigger clubs in the food chain

Joe Kinnear wants some more firepower, so he recruits a striker who is on the verge of an England cap

From a Leeds point of view, most of my signings were done last season but I do take the opportunity to snap up Bakayoko from Auxerre for just £1m

My only other business is bringing in Kieron Dyer in exchange for Gudnason, who Spurs were keen to sign and I’ve decided to go back to my wingbacks formation, which Dyer is perfect for.

The Charity Shield provides the first action of the season

No surprise there then, eventually. Man Utd certainly seem to be a waning force though. As the regular league season gets going though, it’s definitely apparent that it’s a more level playing field. We’ve been excellent, and the table makes for good reading at this early stage

Joe Kinnear’s Spurs in second but 6 points separate 1st and 9th, so it’s not exactly a healthy lead. My goals for column is very encouraging though, Marco and Hasselbaink have formed a decent strike partnership and with Bakayoko in Shearer in reserve, life is good. Here’s how we lineup:

To finish on a strange note, Spain, the reigning World Champions, qualified for Euro 2004 easily, without losing a game. How did they celebrate?

There’s just no pleasing some people. Spain go down the same route as last time, having stolen the PSG manager they’ve taken two time Ligue 1 winner Rolland Courbis from Marseille.

PSG fell away once their manager left allowing Marseille to become the dominant team in France, it’ll be interesting to see what happens now.

Come back next time to see if this Leeds form is a flash in the pan or whether we are actually going to mount a title challenge.