Leon Osman
Former Everton and England midfielder on The Football News Show

Everton aren't known for making quick decisions about moving a manager on.

Sean Dyche has earnt patience from the hierarchy, and the Evertonians for what he has achieved with the club over the past few seasons for keeping them in the Premier League. He came in ridiculously difficult circumstances with half a season to do so.

A points deduction then followed in his second season. It is not the time to take a quick decision to find someone else.

Jordan J

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Leon Osman
Former Everton and England midfielder on The Football News Show

Everton have managed to be okay over the past few seasons. They do get on a run. Sean Dyche does usually take a while to get them going. However, there has been flashes of good play this season.

Despite those defeats, there has been half an hour against Brighton, were Everton started really well, and against Bournemouth for 86-and-a-half minutes it was near perfect.

But it was instead a record-breaking defeat with the latest two goal-winning margin turned around. That will be difficult to get over. They are traditionally slow starters, so I hope they will be fine.

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Former England captain Steph Houghton says Everton's loss to Bournemouth "was very unlike a Sean Dyche team," as they threw away a two-goal lead to lose in the space of less than 10 minutes.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club, Houghton said Dyche's side forgot the basics and continued to make the same mistakes.

Watch the full episode on BBC iPlayer or listen on BBC Sounds.

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Cardiff City are planning a tribute to defender Sol Bamba around their Championship home game with Leeds United on Saturday, 21 September.

The former Cardiff player and coach died on Saturday at the age of 39, after being admitted to hospital in Turkey where he had been working as technical director for Adanaspor.

Bamba captained Leeds during a playing career which began at Paris St-Germain and took him to Dunfermline, Hibernian, Leicester, Trabzonspor, Palermo and Middlesbrough.

The Ivory Coast defender, who overcame non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2021, made more than 50 league appearances for the Elland Road club between January 2015 and October 2016.

He then joined Cardiff where he stayed for almost five years, making more than 100 appearances.

The Football Association of Wales is also planning to pay respect to Bamba before the Nations League game with Turkey at Cardiff City Stadium on Friday, 6 September.

There will also be tributes to former Wales internationals Leighton James and Terry Medwin, both of whom have died since Wales last played a home game in March.

Click here for the full story.

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Craig Bellamy's post-playing career has not been without its struggles.

He stepped down from his first role as a coach with Cardiff City's academy, in January 2019, after an internal investigation into claims of bullying found "a number of significant concerns".

Bellamy denied the claims and was never subject to any disciplinary proceedings and apologised for any offence caused.

The former Wales forward went on to work as a coach under former Manchester City team-mate Vincent Kompany, first at Belgian club Anderlecht and then Burnley, but continued to suffer problems off the pitch.

In March 2019 he was given an 18-month ban after admitting to drink-driving, while in April last year said that he was bankrupt due to failed investments made on his behalf.

Bellamy has also previously spoken about his battle with depression, saying in 2020 that he had been on medication to tackle the problem.

"During my career my depression was worse, way worse," said Bellamy, who said his mental health issues were triggered by struggles dealing with injuries. "The emotional side...I'd come home and wouldn't speak for three days.

"I had a wife, young family and I literally wouldn't talk. I would shut myself away in a room and then I would go to bed on my own. That was the only way I could deal with depression."

Chris Wathan
BBC Sport Wales

Image source, Huw Evans Agency and Getty Images

It began amid farce – and ended with renewed hope.

And along the way there were moments of controversy, tragedy and brilliance, all often bookmarked with brutal honesty.

Now 26 years on from the first time he wore the colours of his country, Craig Bellamy returns to the international stage.

It is no longer Bellamy the player, he of 19 goals, 78 appearances and countless more headlines.

Instead, the 45-year-old will lead Wales from the dugout, aiming to reach the major finals that so agonisingly eluded him as a forward of fierce talent and determination.

As he prepares to write the next chapter of his Wales story, click here to take a look at the key games, goals and quotes of Bellamy’s international days.

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In July, Craig Bellamy left his role as acting head coach at Burnley to become Wales manager, agreeing a four-year deal to take the reins following Rob Page's departure.

Bellamy, 45, scored 19 goals in 78 appearances for Wales.

His 15-year international playing career, which ended in 2013, included three years as Wales captain, from 2007 to 2010, as well as a starring role in the Great Britain team at the 2012 London Olympics.

In a varied club career, the pacey forward enjoyed notable spells which Norwich, Newcastle, Blackburn, Liverpool and Cardiff City, amongst others.

He retired from playing in 2014, after helping Cardiff win promotion to the Premier League, before moving into coaching, initially with the Cardiff academy.

Bellamy went on to become assistant manager to former Manchester City team-mate Vincent Kompany at Anderlecht and then Burnley, and initially remained at Turf Moor in the summer when Kompany was appointed head coach at Bayern Munich.

But after accepting the Wales job his first ever games as a head coach will now come in the Uefa Nations League, starting with Turkey at home on Friday before Montenegro away on Monday, 9 September.

Image source, Getty Images

Wales have added Leeds United's teenage midfielder Charlie Crew to their squad for the Nations League matches against Turkey and Montenegro.

Cardiff-born Crew, 18, has yet to make a senior appearance for his club, but made his international debut against Gibraltar in June.

He replaces Rabbi Matondo in the squad after the Rangers winger withdrew having injured his hamstring.

The 23-year-old was forced off the field during the first half of his side's 3-0 defeat at Celtic on Sunday.

Wales face Turkey in Craig Bellamy's first game in charge on Friday (19:45 BST), before taking on Montenegro three days later (Mon, 19:45 BST).

Leicester City

Leicester City have been charged by the Football Association (FA) after their 2-1 Premier League defeat by Aston Villa on Saturday.

"It’s alleged that the club failed to ensure its players did not behave in an improper way around the 93rd minute," the FA said in a statement.

The Foxes have until 5 September to provide a response.

Newcastle United left-back Jamal Lewis has completed a loan move until the end of the season to Brazilian giants Sao Paulo.

The 26-year-old, who joined the Magpies in 2020 for £15m from Norwich, is the first British player to sign for the famous Brazilian club.

"When I found out about this opportunity, I immediately told my manager that I would like to come to Brazil," Lewis told the Sao Paulo website.

"It's an honour to play for a giant like Sao Paulo and to be the first British athlete in the club's history. I'm very excited to play for a three-time world champion club. It's an opportunity I couldn't pass up."

Lewis will now join up with Northern Ireland for their upcoming Nations League fixtures against Luxembourg and Bulgaria.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Press Eye

Northern Ireland defender Trai Hume says he is ready to take on greater leadership responsibilities if asked to step up by manager Michael O'Neill.

Hume, 22, has won 13 caps for his country and has established himself as a mainstay in their defence.

With Manchester United's Jonny Evans having announced his retirement from international football last week, Hume is prepared to emerge as a new leader for O'Neill's young squad.

"I’ll speak to him about it. I wouldn’t mind because growing up I captained younger age groups so maybe I have that in me," he told BBC Sport NI.

"I want to help younger players that are coming through and lead them.

"It’s going to be different. When I first came in there was Steven Davis, Jonny and Craig Cathcart, a lot of experience, so it is going to be a big change."

Click here to read more.

The Premier League has only just begun but already it has been put on pause for the Nations League.

In five weeks we have another international break, with one more scheduled five weeks after that.

How do you feel about the football schedule? Would you leave it the way it is or switch it up? Let us know, get involved via all the usual methods.

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Jane Lewis
BBC Scotland reporter

Image source, PA Media

John McGinn admits he has not "parked" the disappointment of Scotland's Euro 2024 exit as he prepares for a return to international duty.

Steve Clarke's side host Poland in Thursday's Nations League A Group 1 opener then travel to face Portugal on Sunday (both games 19:45 BST).

"You definitely don't park them [the disappointments]," McGinn said. "I still think about getting relegated at St Mirren. What I could have changed? What you could do better - these things never leave you.

"Everyone always says the highs in football make the lows worth it, but that’s a lie, so it’ll always be in the back of your head things you could have done differently both together as a team and individually.

"We've come a long way as a nation to qualify for these tournaments. We didn't want that to just be enough, we all know we could have done better in the summer, but now there's a new batch of players coming in, a sort of different feel with the squad, and hopefully it'll re-energise all of us individually and hopefully everyone in the country as well."

Image source, Getty Images

Here is a reminder of the updated Scotland squad for their upcoming Uefa Nations League games - at home to Poland on Thursday (19:45 BST) and away to Portugal on Sunday (19:45 BST):

Goalkeepers: Angus Gunn (Norwich City), Zander Clark (Hearts), Jon McCracken (Dundee)

Defenders: Anthony Ralston (Celtic), Max Johnston (Sturm Graz), Grant Hanley (Norwich City), Ryan Porteous (Watford), Scott McKenna (Las Palmas), John Souttar (Rangers), Andy Robertson (Liverpool), Josh Doig (Sassuolo)

Midfielders: Ryan Christie (Bournemouth), Ryan Gauld (Vancouver Whitecaps), Billy Gilmour (Napoli), Kenny McLean (Norwich City), John McGinn (Aston Villa), Scott McTominay (Napoli), Connor Barron (Rangers)

Forwards: Ben Doak (Middlesbrough), Lewis Morgan (New York Red Bulls), Lawrence Shankland (Hearts), Lyndon Dykes (Birmingham City), Tommy Conway (Middlesbrough)

It's not only England who are in action this week.

Let's take a look at the latest news from the Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland camps ahead of their upcoming Nations League fixtures.

Following former Tottenham winger Steven Bergwijn's transfer from Ajax to Saudi Arabia club Al Ittihad, Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman did not hold back with his views.

Koeman confirmed the 26-year-old's time with the Netherlands is "closed" as his move has "nothing to do with sporting ambition".

Georginio Wijnaldum, 33, was in the Dutch squad at Euro 2024 despite playing for Saudi Arabian club Al Ettifaq.

But Koeman added: "He had problems at Paris St-Germain and this was the only opportunity for him to play. In addition, there is a difference in age."

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport senior women's football reporter at London Colney

A few more youngsters involved in Arsenal training after having strong pre-seasons.

Leila Harbart, who captained England U17s this summer at the Euros, is there along with Vivienne Lia.

Michelle Agyemang and Freya Godfrey, who have both had interest in them this summer, are also involved, as well as Katie Reid.

They have all trained with the first team before.

Image source, Getty Images

In the men's game, £4.92bn ($6.46bn) was spent across the globe - the second highest in history but a 13% decrease from 2023.

A record 11,000 transfers have been recorded so far, including pending deals.

English clubs spent more than any other league in the world, with £1.29bn ($1.69bn) being spent on incomings.

Julian Alvarez's £81.5m move to Atletico Madrid from Manchester City is the most spent on a single player, while Tottenham's £55m signing of Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke was the most spent on a single player by an English club.