Tomorrow against Turkey at the Aviva Stadium, Ireland play the first of four games in three weeks in three different countries.

We now know it will be a Madrid derby in the Champions League final on May 25 in Lisbon after both Real and Atletico overcame Bayern Munich and Chelsea, respectively, in this week’s semi-finals.

There’s a few things everyone working in football knows: it’s a results driven business, patience is generally absent and people lose their jobs every week.

Everton hosting Crystal Palace at Goodison Park on Wednesday was always going to be a tough game for the Toffees, as their opponents had won three on the bounce and surged from relegation candidates to relative mid-table safety under the guidance of the experienced Tony Pulis.

Now that the draw for the Champions League semi-finals has been made, I have no doubt we will see two very different match-ups when Real Madrid face Bayern Munich and Chelsea come up against Atletico Madrid.

Having witnessed some of the finest midfielders in the modern game play this week in the Champions League quarter-finals, it made me think about how the central midfield position has changed over the years.

While the bulk of attention has been on the fight for the Premier League title and qualification for Europe next season, we can’t overlook what is shaping up to be the most exciting relegation battle in a long time, with every team in the bottom half still vulnerable and their respective boardrooms dreading the financial implications of playing in the Championship next season.

Having cast an eye over the Championship in general last time out, this week I would like to focus on my side, Brighton and Hove Albion, and offer insight into a club which I presume a lot of people may not know too much about but which, in my opinion, is destined for a very exciting future.

With just seven weeks left in the Championship season, it is high time I cast an eye over what is the most financially rewarding league in the world to win.

As the Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane roller-coaster gathered pace again at the start of the week, with players arriving from all corners of the UK after their club fixtures, everyone was hoping we could keep the momentum going after the solid start against Latvia and Poland.