So Hull City's European dream is over. It was good while it lasted, but Thursday's exit to KSC Lokeren could turn out to be a blessing in disguise. It means there will be no distraction when it comes to the Premier League which we know is the number one priority for Steve Bruce and his team.
Eventually, playing a European game on a Thursday and then a league game on a Sunday would catch up with City.
I'm disappointed the Tigers are out of the Europa League because this was a fantastic opportunity to chance their arm against, potentially, other European minnows.
I think City should have progressed because they are a Premier League side playing against a Belgian team.
That's not being disrespectful to Lokeren, I just feel the Tigers should have won the tie and reached the group stages.
City will rue the away goal they conceded against the Belgians which turned out to be the difference between the two sides.
Supporters who went to Zilina and Lokeren will have special memories that will stay with them for a very long time. Unfortunately, journeys have an end and that's the case now, but City did go out with a win.
The focus now is the Premier League, the FA Cup and the League Cup.
Looking for positives, City won the second leg 2-1 which should give them confidence going into Sunday's league visit to Aston Villa.
Winning breeds that sort of mindset and the victory should provide a boost for the Tigers at a notoriously tough Villa Park.
Another positive from the European exit was the return to form of Robbie Brady. He will have been pleased with his two goals and it might just edge him closer to featuring in the Midlands.
City need a fully-fit Brady because they missed him last season when he was sidelined and on the treatment table.
We are all wondering if City could have advanced had Yannick Sagbo not seen red for his tackle in the second half. I guess we'll never know.
But he should have known that you cannot go into a tackle in the manner he did. Having said that, I've seen worse tackles go unpunished and I would describe it as a striker's tackle. But European referees see things differently and he was sent off.
Fortunately for City, his European suspension won't kick in this season, but maybe it will next season if City can make it back.
Now the European tour is over, it's important City make the KC Stadium a fortress after the international break and Thursday's win will help that, even if it wasn't enough in the end.
Getting a point against Stoke at home last weekend wasn't as good as all three points, but it was still a good point, especially with 10 men.
City now have to work on staying in the Premier League and try and become a side like Stoke, who have established themselves as a Premier League side now for the last few years.
Early goal should set platform for winCity have to put their Europa League exit behind them and concentrate on beating Villa today (Sunday).
Villa Park is always a difficult place to go to and today will be no exception.
But City have started the season well with a win and a draw, although they will be thinking it could and should have been two wins. The important thing is that City are looking up the table and not down it, even though it is still early days.
With Michael Dawson expected to make his debut in place of the suspended James Chester, I fancy City's chances of getting a rare win at Villa Park.
Villa need a big season and won't want a repeat of last time when they flirted with relegation right until the final weeks.
The feeling I have about Villa is their fans are always on the verge of turning against the team and manager.
Therefore, if City get an early goal, it should make things a bit lively.
It's a good time to face Villa with main man Christian Benteke still sidelined with an Achilles injury that ruled him out of the World Cup.
We know he can score goals for fun, but he is still a few weeks away from returning to action.
Paul Lambert has a young squad but it has quality with midfielder Fabian Delph included in Roy Hodgson's latest England squad.
He's a Bradford lad and he's in the squad on merit but City can capitalise on the youthfulness of the squad.
I'm going for a 2-1 win for the Tigers, with an early goal to unsettle things in the Villa camp.
But it will be a tough game from the first whistle, and City must attack from the get-go.
