I am back fully in the swing of things after the international break. There is that Monday morning feeling on the first day back and setting the alarm clock is a bit of a grind after a few days of lie-ins.

It's good we had a rest, but I'm glad we're back. And after the first day you can't keep me away.

I have a lot of people coming to me about tickets for this weekend's game against West Ham, and I am having trouble keeping my promises, because the match has been sold out for a long time.

But games like this are what we are here for - a big London derby. Once we got promoted everyone - players, fans and the board - looked out for these sorts of matches. With the tradition and reputation they have got, it makes it a huge game.

They have had some great players playing for them, and traditionally they play an excellent kind of football, so it makes it more special than any other game so far this season.

If we are playing the likes of West Ham both this season and next - because I fancy them to get promoted - we will be doing well. But at the moment we have to try and catch them.

I played them in the Cup last season when I was at Rushden. They started like a house on fire, and I thought it would end about 10-0 but we managed to keep the score down.

Speaking of cups, Birmingham Ladies did well in the League Cup against Millwall. We beat them 6-0 to get into the quarter final - but then we got battered by Arsenal in the league on Wednesday night. So not only did I miss England against Azerbaijan, I had to watch my team lose 5-2!

The loss did come against one of the top teams, but we have made some big signings at Birmingham, and expectations are high. We need a Cup run, and if we don't have a decent one, I may sack myself!

I'm not sure how I'll do it, but I'm going to look into it. My only saving grace is the Cup, and we have Doncaster Belles away in the quarter final. If we go out, then I'll beat the board to it and write myself a letter of resignation! It'll be unprecedented.

Seriously, it's been a bit of a disappointing season for us. Actually it's been disappointing for both Birmingham teams.

It's strange how we follow them. When the men's team got promoted, we did too, and we both had a great season afterwards. And we both had a lot of promise this season - only to lose our way! But I can't see Steve Bruce following my lead and giving himself the chop. I hope he doesn't anyway.

Be sure to come back next week, when I hope to have bragging rights over the Hammers for the next three weeks - and fingers crossed I won't have given myself the sack from Birmingham Ladies!

QPR play West Ham at Loftus Road at 3pm on Saturday, and Birmingham Ladies play Fulham at 2pm on Sunday at Motspur Park.