And so another week passes and we're still second and feeling giddy (at the time of writing) without kicking a ball.

And so another week passes and we're still second and feeling giddy (at the time of writing) without kicking a ball.

Are these 'free' weekends a good thing or not? I always wonder, and usually come to the same conclusion every time.

If you're a manager's whose team is in good form, scoring quite freely and generally on the up then international weekends can only seem like poisoned manna from heaven, although to someone on the recovery trail after injury they will most likely see them as a complete blessing.

It is true that anyone needs a break from what is their normal routine in order to feel refreshed, revitalised, reinvigorated - call it what you will - but I always find myself wondering if quite so early in a domestic season it is such a good thing.

But that raises another question: when is the right time when different domestic leagues across Europe start their seasons at different times? The powers that be are just not going to be able to please everyone and I guess we humble supporters simply have to bow to that constant request to stop putting off shopping trips, seeing beloved relatives, cleaning the windows and mowing the lawn or maybe decide to flop in front of the television and watch England instead. To me though these weekends will never have quite the same buzz or adrenaline rush as watching the boys in green and yellow.

Never in a month of Saturdays!

So Leon has gone, and I am quite prepared to take the blame or the plaudits, depending on how you feel about the whole affair.

On deadline day I was talking to a colleague about football, as you do, and she (a Posh fan) said "you've had a few of our players in recent years like Adam Drury and Leon McKenzie. I always liked them a lot I must say", to which I replied words to the effect that both had served us well over the years in their own ways. As she went on to mention our rivalry with Ipswich mention had to be made of Leon's legendary status because of Portman Road 21st December 2003 and the sweetest early Christmas present, etc. My mind was then full of glorious images for the rest of the afternoon.

Imagine my surprise when just a few hours later I nearly choked on my baked beans (I am eating well, dad, I promise) as the tv channel had a yellow banner flying across the screen announcing that Leon McKenzie had signed for Coventry in a £1 million deal. Despite all the 'Leon is not for sale' and 'he will be remaining at this football club' statements he had gone, although the outline of events leading up to his departure was at this point unknown.

Once the dust had settled it seemed that Leon had been a little bit 'Gallasesque' and had somewhat forced his move to put it mildly. Though none of us knows exactly what the last few weeks and months leading up to this have been like for the player I'm sure many feel a sense of disappointment, maybe anger, that it came to this and happened in such a way, and quotations heading east from the west Midlands in recent days cannot help but reinforce those feelings.

But should we have seen it coming? Probably, yes. He was an unhappy player and it was clear for all who watch City to see. Not only that but a few more months and he was clearly going to leave on a free. Anyway the fixture gurus made it clear the Ricoh Arena was where he was headed for that is where we are headed today now the wretched international break is over.

With so soon a match up it just had to be didn't it?