We're miles ahead. The board reckoned, if we could get there in five years, to the Premiership, that would be an achievement. We managed to do it quicker. A lot of hard work. Some good recruitment. Some good personalities in the dressing room. Some togetherness. Punching above our weight most of the time.
Having perfectly capitalised on the opportunities within Stuttgart's defensive rotation, Finn Jeltsch has entered the radar of Europe's elite scouting networks with an "urgent" status. His recent performances have transformed the stands into a virtual "scouting convention."
We met in Norway, during a dinner with the royal family. I remember we only talked about football, and shortly afterwards, he invited me to England to watch an Aston Villa match, his team. He convinced me to move there in 2007: for three consecutive seasons, I scored double figures in the Premier League.
We've been involved with the business for five years now. It's an incredible brand with lots of legacy and great values, and there's a long-term plan here. That was supported by two things last year: Carlos joining us, who obviously saw the opportunity when it came to wanting to win; and finishing fifth. And that just supported our story of going back to the top.
Having been hit for 1-31 by Derry on Sunday - the highest giveaway of any team in the 80 games played across all four divisions so far - one suspects that defence will be an early priority in the plush surrounds of the Quinta do Lago resort.
A game, if we're being honest, they had no business winning. Once again, a team with a low block walks away with something against Arne Slot's Reds, and there are only so many times the higher-ups will allow it to happen before stepping in.
Kieran McKenna's side made it back-to-back wins with a convincing 3-0 success over Swansea City at Portman Road on Saturday afternoon, hours after Sergej Jakirovic's men had leapfrogged themselves and Millwall into third for a brief moment after their second win on the spin, albeit a 1-0 success against Portsmouth at Fratton Park wasn't without a largely below-par performance.
Two people have been charged after a series of incidents at Nottingham Forest's Europa League home tie against Turkish side Fenerbahce. Police arrested three people after the incidents, which included flares being thrown from the away end, which stopped the game in the first half.
