The Prem can be ugly and harshly unforgiving but it's better to be inside looking out than outside looking in

As the TV money increases, the pressure rises, the managerial sackings become more frequent, the transfer fees higher and, significantly, the fans’ grip on reality ever weaker.

Such is the Premier life.

It’s not a vicious circle – it’s a vicious steep incline and as with all inclines there will be a plateau, or more likely a precipice, at some point in the future.

Nothing lasts forever; even Jamie Vardy is struggling to score. And it seemed his run would never end.

Of course it did.

It’s a battle between the haves and the have nots. Both want more – much more.

For the haves, it’s a question of keeping up with the Joneses while for the have nots, it’s a matter of getting what the haves have got.

It’s the law of the footballing jungle – survival of the fittest and the richest.

The trick is not to let that incline slip into a decline. Clubs such as Bolton, Blackburn, Portsmouth, Leeds (oh all right, Ipswich too) have all felt that craving; sniffed the glory but falling flat on their collective backsides as the bank account drained away along with the crowds.

Lower league, dwindling gates, poor squads and constant turnover at the top. A grim cocktail of regret and sadness at what has come to be for such once proud clubs.

Where does our club fit into this picture?

Financially, we’re pretty fine and dandy at time of writing. But never forget the recent lows or take for granted the current highs when it comes to the almighty bank balance.

The home ground is bursting at 99+ per cent capacity every other weekend – very few others can claim close to that.

Our extremely popular manager is now embarking on his second year in charge; a notable achievement at a time when, for some, even one year is becoming an increasingly treacherous length of tenure.

The football? Well, it could be better more often – of course it could. We’ve seen highs and lows already and we’re not into February.

But the disappointing loss at Bournemouth seems to have stirred up emotions to fever pitch. If you took the time and trouble to travel down for the match, then you have every right to air your grievances albeit in a polite and humorous manner.

If you ‘enjoyed’ the action from afar in the comfort of your own home or in a bar, then I’m less inclined to understand the ferocity of some of the accusations and suggestions made in the players’ and board’s direction.

For me, that no-show had mitigating factors – primarily, the ridiculous scheduling of consecutive away games in the space of four days. By my reckoning, 500 miles of travel from Wednesday to Saturday 3pm, with approximately ten hours sat on a coach.

As fit and as well paid a squad as we may have, that does no-one any favours spending that amount of time being sedentary, irrespective of how plush the transport may have been.

Bournemouth meantime stayed home, had full training time and an extra day to recover from their defeat to the Hammers.

It was patently an unfair advantage for them as it was for all the other clubs gifted such a favourable schedule ‘blip’.

That said, their win was deserved and there’s no bitterness towards the Cherries from me.

Thankfully, things move on quickly – with the exception of Kyle Lafferty maybe – and new faces always generates new optimism and excitement.

Timm Klose plays for Switzerland but was born in Germany and is a legal citizen of both countries. That makes him German for me. End of.

I think most of us – some more publicly than others – look towards the Bundesliga and the German national side with admiration and respect.

In the past decade or two, the German game has taken great strides forward. It’s less reliant and kowtowing to TV money as our game; less reliant on extravagantly paid ‘superstars’ or exotic overseas imports, and has a more of a visceral connection with colourful and exuberant home fans.

The concentration on developing home talent in that time through top grade coaching has paid off handsomely. They are the World Champions and unforgettably mullered (deliberate pun) Brazil 7-1 on their own patch. Seismic.

Our new Swiss-German signing has therefore been schooled and coached in this winning and enviable environment. It doesn’t guarantee he will be a roaring success with us but he’s been given a good chance.

Our new squad has much road to travel for a safe refuge over the summer with even more TV money filtering through.

Despite many a claim, the Premier League is not the best in the world (third or fourth?) in terms of quality. However, few will argue against it being the most competitive, exciting and the biggest lure around the world, including Germany.

Norwich City are in that league and – most of the time – punch above their weight. But let’s not get too greedy too quickly.

When relationships between England and Germany were not so good, one of the posters claimed, ‘Your courage, your cheerfulness, your resolution will bring us victory’.

Old fashioned common sense that worked. Worth putting one up at Carrow Road?

Follow Russ on Twitter @saund65