Bring it on, but please don’t mention VAR or Fantasy Football

The return of the Premier League always provokes mixed feelings. On the down side, it heralds the onset of long winter nights with nothing to do but watch football; on the up side, it heralds the onset of long winter nights with nothing to do but watch football.

Of course, football cannot really be back because it never really goes away. Obviously, there’s League of Ireland action and the qualifying rounds of European competitions, which seem to have started some time around Easter this year.