Click here to read the previous episode

We’re big time now. Big old Everton. Big old Everton and their big old schedule. It feels good. We’re relevant again, we’re challenging Europe, and fighting on multiple fronts, not slowly spiralling into a future of repeated managerial changes and relegation battles. Hopefully.

But there are drawbacks. Like realising you have to play six matches in 17 days. That’s one game every 2.83 days. We can’t possibly stick with the same 11 there, so we need to rotate.

We make our Europa League debut first against Basaksehir, a team of which very little statistical data exists. Ross Barkley and Filip Kostic are looking a little bit leggy, so they can sit this one out, as can Kieran Tierney so that Leighton Baines can build up his match fitness.

The first whistle blows and we go off like a train. Unfortunately, it’s a British train so we do nothing at all, Basaksehir score a really soft goal and we feel like giving up and driving home.

Fortunately, they’re not actually very good. Rick Karsdorp is able to send a cross in at the near post and Aaron Lennon of all people heads home. Karsdorp then puts us ahead with an opportunistic effort, his first for the club, and then two rotation options, James McClean and Andrea Poli, combine for a third.

We’re in total control of the game in the second half, so much so that I can withdraw James McCarthy, Romelu Lukaku and, a little later because I’m not that brave, Demigod Vida. Let’s hope the rest of the group goes like this.

We host Tottenham four days later and this time it’s Idrissa Gueye, Aaron Lennon, and Ramires Funes Mori who stand down. I’m very glad that I was able to limit Lukaku’s minutes because he’s still my only fit striker. Spurs, it transpires, did not qualify for Europe despite finishing sixth on account of Liverpool winning the FA Cup and Bournemouth winning the League Cup. I’d imagine that Mauricio Pochettino, whose side are currently fourth, would like to avoid something like that happening again.

At this rate, Spurs will never qualify for Europe again. We take an early lead when Barkley rises above Kevin Wimmer in the box and nods the ball down for Lukaku to stab home from close range. Moments later, Biabiany tears off down the right flank and tosses in a chance for Lukaku to double the lead. He takes it. Then, on the half hour, Barkley fires one in from range. I was expecting a tough game, but we’re 3-0 up and cruising.

I tell them not to get complacent at the break and they all get upset with me. “Gaffer,” they say. “It’s Tottenham.”

With 15 minutes left and the game ebbing away, I’m inclined to agree. I take off the tired players, including of course, my only proper striker Lukaku and I leave them to it.

With nine minutes to go, Harry Kane is awarded the freedom the penalty area to score what might be a consolation goal, but might also be the first stage of an incredible recovery. We’re Everton, so you can imagine my feelings on the matters, especially when Kane dances in unopposed and wellies home another with four minutes to go. I am not amused. I beg them to focus, I remove all attacking instructions and we bunker down. It’s enough. Somehow we hold on for the win. I hate this bloody football club sometimes.

My mood is not lifted by the news that Kostic has a double hernia. I spent the better part of a year trying to sign that boy and now he’s out for two months. But onwards, ever onwards.

Now, I want to be clear with you. Everton should be trying to win trophies. The old cabinet upstairs is not so full that it can’t take a few more baubles and trinkets. But I have to manage this squad carefully, so when a League Cup tie at home to West Bromwich Albion pops up, I want to put my faith in the boys in the bibs.

Lukaku will play because I’m not so crazy as to go without a striker. And Alfie Areola will continue in goal because there’s no need to take the piss. But that aside, I want a team of fresh legs for this one. And a team of fresh legs for Hull City next week too. Cups are lovely, but the game isn’t about glory. It’s about Champions League TV revenue.

For all the changes, we look pretty good out there. Lukaku smashes one into the post early on, Liam Walsh is denied a goal on his full debut by an excellent Boaz Myhill save. And then Claudio Jacob hits an absolute screamer into the top corner from the better part of 30 yards and I figure that it’s all over. Off come Lukaku, Gueye, and Funes Mori. But I underestimate these boys. Tom Davies sends the game to extra time with a fine finish from the edge of the box and then McClean ghosts in at the far post to give us the lead. Darren Fletcher’s red card reduces the Baggies to 10 men and, with no small amount of justification given the statistics, we glide through to the next round. I could have done without the extra time, but at least we don’t play Hull until the Monday.

So far, so good then. We’ve had a really nasty run of Premier League fixtures with Manchester City, Chelsea and Spurs in the opening exchanges, but we’ve won all of them and only dropped points against Newcastle and Bournemouth. We’ve won the opening game in the Europa League and we’re through to the last 16 of the League Cup, which is better than we managed last time.

With a bit of luck and no serious injuries, we should certainly be confident about achieving our aim of a top eight finish, but with our new signings beginning to click, I do think we should really aim to repeat our top four finish. By which I mean, we finished fourth. It’s definitely possible. Southampton have crashed, Manchester City have made an awful start and it gives me no joy whatsoever to see that Liverpool may need to sack another manager. This could be a very good year…

Click here to read the next episode