1/4 Awards for March - player of the month Fowler - young player of the month

Meeting with DoF before training indicates that Shearer is not going to sign a new contract at Blackburn and they would accept a knock-down bid. A £7m bid is made and accepted.

2/4 A meeting with Shearer’s agent goes well and he’s offered a contract which would make him the joint-top  highest earner at the club, which he accepts.

6/4 A meeting with the chief scout indicates that it’s time to start looking at improving the quality of the youth at the club as this has been neglected for a while - he’s instructed to start looking for the best young players around.

8/4 Consider transfer listing: Matteo - surplus to requirements (although a better prospect at wing-back than Kennedy). McManaman - doesn’t really fit the system, could do with the money to improve elsewhere. Kennedy transfer listed and removed from first team squad. Bjorklund gets another chance to improve his standing with me and the fans, who have not been terribly taken  by his recent performances.

We should have won that comfortably but, for what ever reason, we just didn’t turn up. A bit of a lost chance to put three points on the board and increase the gap to Man Utd in second place.

9/4 A 15yr old Tomas Rosicky agrees a contract following a £2.1m bid, accepted by Sparta Prague. Primarily a central , he’s versatile enough to play across the midfield and should be a useful asset for the future.

11/4 A 17 yr old is scouted and he’s a serious prospect, although unlikely to be affordable.

 12/4 Bjorklund had a good game against Sheffield Wednesday and keeps his place in the team - opportunity to build on that to put a good performance under his belt. Otherwise, it’s a pretty usual starting 11.

Rivaldo, Redknapp and Simeone were the foundations of that win as they dominated the midfield allowing the strikers time and space to put their chances away. That puts us in a really good position for the second leg.

14/4 Kevin Keegan decides to pile on the pressure and declares us as favourites for the title. Probably could have done without that extra expectation…

 16/4 U18 coach reports on Warnock - impressed with how the 14 year old is getting on & encourages me to keep an eye on his progression.

17/4 Very good week in training ahead of the 2nd leg of the quarter final, everyone wants to be involved. DoF catches me in the tearoom after training saying he’s been contacted by Rio Ferdinand’s agent who wants a move to , but the Hammers are blocking it - keep an eye on this. Also provides report on Arsenal CB Matthew Upson who looks like a prospect.

18/4 Ruddock, Matteo and Collymore all get the chance to impress as we look to cement our route through to the semi-finals of the Champsions League.

We held our own but a defensive calamity from David James gifted the goal to Shevchenko as he dropped the ball at his feet, failing to hold on to a corner. After that, it was nervy, but we did enough to progress. DoF phones me on the flight back - has agreed terms and will join in July. A really good prospect - loan out for a few seasons, then bring into the 1st team. Should progress nicely. Already a LOT of transfers done for the summer.

20/4 It’s that time of season when you start looking at the upcoming fixtures: Villa (a), Wimbledon (h), Arsenal (a), Leeds (a), QPR (a), Man City (h). Utd have Spurs (a), Chelsea (h), Everton (a), Blackburn (a), West Ham (h). Tricky run in the middle 21/4 Champions League Semi-Final draw - us, Utd, Real, Espanyol…

…well of course.

22/4 Confirmation of qualificaiton for next seasons Champions League is confirmed and the board provide a significant wage budget and a £90m transfer budget as well - I look forward to spending that!!! Speaking of which - chief scout comes to the office with reports on some options whose contracts expire in the summer:

Magallanes / Inzaghi - already signed Shearer and we are strong in attach. Megallanes offers more in the DLF role than Collymore though…and Rush is 34. Smertin - Vieira signed so probably not needed - but is only 20 & a wonderkid. Could loan out to begin with??

24/4 HOW am I going to fit Rivaldo, Zidane, Vieira, Simeone, Barnes and Redknapp (who’s been brilliant this season) into the same midfield with them all wanting to be first choice. 26/4 A slight tactical tweak is made as Simeone is pushed from DM to CM as an experiment to take into account the above problem.

Not sure if it was the change of system, but we did not get to grips with that game at all. Collymore, again, fails to impress and I think that’s probably sealed his fate. The only plus is that Man Utd suffer a heavy defeat at Spurs so we don’t lose ground.

Work in training on the AP - BWM - BBM combination in midfield: AP (or RPM) - Rivaldo / Zidane / Barnes prefer this as an option & Rivaldo has been a star in this role BWM - Simeone BBM - Vieira / Redknapp

Leaves McManaman nowhere near the team.

27/4 More noises from Rio Ferdinand at West Ham desperate to leave and join us.

29/4 Same midfield 3 used, although AP changed to RPM. A number of changes have to be made due to the short gap since the Villa game.

I’m not sure that game really told me very much - Barnes is world class (MoM), Macca can still turn it on when he gets his chances and Wimbledon are not very good. Fowler - 2wks - knee injury (Misses CL semi-final!!!) United only manage a draw at Chelsea, so we pull 5 points clear with a game in hand - that looks promising.

30/4 - The bloody scout does enjoy making things difficult for me. As if I haven’t got enough pretty good … DoF instructed to make an enquiry for Pirlo