Up and running - well, walking anyway

This photo of Quim has nothing to do with the post below. It's just quite amusing

Not the most accurate of titles for the first post in what feels like an age - we've already had two rounds of Europa League qualifying, one round of Champions League action, the Under-20 World Cup...most of which I intended to cover (to some degree) here. But it didn't happen, and for that, I'm only slightly sorry. Covering football is often a joyous pursuit, but after a season that could be generously described as busy, I was - to put it simply - fucking knackered.

But after some time away, and enough transfer rumours to drive even the most mild-mannered of bloggers to liquor, I'm ready to dip my toes into all things Portuguese football once again. This short post is intended to serve as a guide to my movements for the coming season. Here's where you'll be able to find me:

1) Twitter. The first port of call, basically. Time constraints mean that unless someone wants to pay me to produce lengthy discussions on the gamut of issues that football in Portugal throws up on a daily basis (I'm open to offers), the 140-character format is particularly attractive. Follow! Reply! Accuse of bias! Pull up mistakes made during game updates!

2) PortuGOAL. Regular visitors to the internet's leading English-language resource for all things Portuball will have noticed my work cropping up there more often of late - match reports, news snippets, the podcast, etc. After presumably succumbing to the same stretched-thinness as myself last season, Tom invited me on board, and I was delighted to accept.

3) SB Nation. That page is looking a bit threadbare at the moment, but that should change soon. I'll be previewing and then reviewing each round of Liga action throughout the season, and almost certainly chipping in with the odd topical opinion/exposure-type piece as well.

4) Beyond the Pitch. If you aren't a subscriber to this podcast already, then you're missing out on an array of football experts from across the globe discussing football with unparalleled erudition and insight. Oh, and I'm a regular guest too.

5) In Bed With Maradona. It's been bloody ages since I wrote something at IBWM, though I am still one point of the co-editing trident at the site. The weekly reviews from last season are likely a thing of the past as a) the site is bursting with outstanding writing already and b) there aren't enough hours in the day; but rest assured I'll be popping up from time to time.

6) ITV, STV, Life's a Pitch. No set timeframe for articles here, but worth bookmarking anyway because not only are they all fine websites, they're all kind enough to ask for my opinion every now and then.

7) Here. Given the variety of places that I'm committed to contributing to already, and the fact that the last time I checked days are only twenty-four hours long, this blog is going to be reserved for longer, more discursive posts. That means that whilst they might not appear on a daily basis, they'll always be really interesting and good and that. Honest.

There you have it. The original intention was to combine this post with a few thoughts on last night's Supertaça, but seeing as that match was (this moment of brilliance from Porto aside) a crushingly uneventful affair, I see no reason to detain you all further.