Sparky losing his spark and the Republic of Ireland reshuffle

The Premier League is back and so are Natalie Sawyer and Gab Marcotti, aided admirably by Bill Edgar and George Caulkin.It’s a big weekend at the bottom with Ranieri taking charge of Fulham for the first time against fellow strugglers Southampton. Can Claudio cook up some chemistry? What will he do with Seri and Sessegnon? And are we about to witness the end of Mark Hughes’s managerial career in the Premier League?We have witnessed the end of Martin O’Neill’s tenure as Republic of Ireland manager. Is it all about results for the Irish, or should they be looking to evolve in the world of football? Possibly with Stephen Kenny at the helm?Plus Paul Joyce joins us to discuss his article for The Times on the injury epidemic in the Premier League, specifically those suffered by players at top 6 clubs who featured heavily at the World Cup. In the hectic schedule, are managers and players short-sighted in their approach to rest and recuperation?Charlie Scott and Paddy von Behr provide their advice ahead of the fantasy football weekend. For free Fantasy Premier League tips from The Sweeper, visit thetimes.co.uk/fantasyfootball  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.