Football Victoria held their men’s and women’s end of season playoffs over the weekend, and its clubs are at the forefront of the rebirth of NSL clubs on the national stage. But the actions of Preston & Dandenong City fans over the past fortnight have given the need to pause for thought. Interim-Football Victoria CEO Dan Birrell faces the tough questions.

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To England, where Ange Postecoglou is underway at Nottingham Forest with a packed fixture list ahead. The BBC’s midlands football expert Simon Stone returns with questions ahead - and to reflect separately on Manchester United’s worst start to a league season since 1992/93.

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Tony Popovic’s Socceroos remain undefeated through nine starts and while Friday’s first leg of the Soccer Ashes won’t live too long in the memory, there was plenty to be excited about. Simultaneously, the performance has been considered underwhelming. Daniel Garb returns to assess the result and what it means on the path to next year’s World Cup.

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The conduct of Preston supporters at Saturday’s NPL preliminary-final has led to investigations by Victoria Police and Football Victoria, and again raises questions of the future of the game as re-integration of former-NSL sides into the mainstream seeks to continue. We try to make sense of the frustration.

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To England, where Thomas Tuchel must begin to produce results if the Three Lions are to qualify for the World Cup. The BBC’s Phil McNulty casts his expert eye over the squad, and the key issues from the Premier League as the transfer window prepares to close.
Also on the agenda: Heidelberg and Newcastle reach the Australia Cup final, Tony Popovic names an exciting squad for the soccer Ashes, and Wellington are excluded from the OFC’s new league.

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Western United’s future continues to look exceptionally bleak, with forty-four players across men’s and women’s senior sides facing the prospect of being without a club when the season kicks off next month. PFA chief-executive Beau Busch returns at a very trying time for a section of their constituency.

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New Zealand’s A-League clubs met contrasting fortunes in the Australia Cup this week, with Auckland FC progressing on penalties while Wellington crashed out to a 4-0 defeat. Jason Pine (Sky Sports NZ) returns with the outlook for their respective campaigns looking decidedly different, and to cover off on Bev Preistman’s appointment to the Phoenix’s women’s job.

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To Italy, where the Serie A kicked off on the weekend with Napoli looking favourite to retain the Scudetto, with a raft of clubs at the start of new projects. Adriano Del Monte returns for a season preview, and a word on the Azzurri - who look destined to go the long way round if they’re to return to the FIFA World Cup.

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