Well well, imagine my surprise when the first thing I read about this morning is Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger putting down Manchester City and talking up Aston Villa. It put a smile on my face.
I got a bigger smile, but a knowing smile, when I then found Martin O'Neill talking up Wesley Sneijder, but we will look at that one in a minute, I think I prefer what Wenger is saying today.
He isn't actually talking about us specifically, it's more a case of dismissing Manchester City as a credible threat. I suspect the original question or subject was Manchester City or the money they have spent so far this summer.
Arsene Wenger on Mirror Football
For me I would say we are looking at a top six with Aston Villa - and you could have one surprise. There is always one unexpected team that fights but we can’t discard Aston Villa.
Yes, last season they collapsed in the last 12 games, but at some stage looked like they could fight for championship.
Is Arsene Wenger wrong? I tell you what though, for a time, we did look like it could happen for us and if we had strengthened in January like Arsenal did, you just don't know. It helped them didn't it.
But think of adding that quality now and think of Wesley Sneijder, because Martin O'Neill is.
Martin O'Neill
I think that the more creativity you have in your side the better chance you will have. These are particularly special players who are not generally available.
If there were players like Sneijder, who have great talent and might be surplus to requirements at a club that is buying new players, then I think you should be interested, even if that interest is not reciprocated. Because how else are you going to try and improve your team?
The knowing smile is because Martin O'Neill doesn't usually talk about targets and he has as good as told us that Sneijder isn't interested in joining Villa. That means that O'Neill was interested in signing him which is, at the very least, a step in the right direction.
I could be wrong, this could be the final action of a man desperately trying to get his man and seeing what happens. Either way, he would be a fantastic player for us, but he probably wants a more established team and you can't blame him, although it would probably be more fun doing it at Villa.
Now, we just have to start doing the stuff that makes players of this quality want to play for us. Maybe offer them the money they would get in a top four club?
That is about it for now, although I'm sensing something is going to happen soon. Call it the force if you want, but I have a feeling something is going to happen soon, maybe not today, but soon and before I go, a trip down memory lane.