When I joined QPR in March 2010 we were rock bottom and heading for League One. We conceded too many and didn't score enough, which was a recipe for relegation.
You are under pressure when you play to avoid relegation.
Relegation - that's pressure.
In the Premier League, I think if you win your first five games, you're in the fight, because here in every game, you can lose or drop points.
The more goals you concede ultimately results in the bottom three, not the more goals you score.
You can't flirt with relegation every year.
When I went to AC Milan, they were four points away from the relegation zone, and by the end of the season, we were just one goal away from being in the Europa League.
I wouldn't call going into the Premier League an ordeal. I would say the Championship is more of an ordeal than the Premier League.
The Premier League is tough because, as soon as you lose a couple of games, you're out of the race for the league.
At the start of the season, there are 16 teams in the top division looking behind them, making sure they avoid relegation. The fear starts in the boardroom, comes down to managers and through to players. The fans sense it.
Every opponent in the Premier League is a warning.
I trained with Chelsea for two weeks under Glenn Hoddle when they were in the relegation zone - it was a long time ago. And I also trained for Bolton when I was a young player. I was very clear, very soon, that I was missing a lot for that level.
