IT’S hard to ignore the start of the Premier League season – but I’m going to for a minute.

While the multi-billion pound industry that is English football’s top flight gets under way on Saturday, more than 500 homeless people are preparing for a potentially life-changing competition of their own.

The draw for the Homeless World Cup took place at Ajax’s Amsterdam ArenA last Sunday, with countries learning their fate for the tournament next month.

England’s men join Poland, Austria, Peru, Greece and Zimbabwe in Group H, while the women’s side face USA, Chile, Mexico, Denmark, India, Egypt and Finland in the second of two pools.

As our Premier League stars pocket eye-watering weekly wage packets, football fanatics whose lives have taken them to the streets hope to take this opportunity to turn their fortunes around.

Many who have played in previous tournaments have gone on to find work, improve their health and confidence and overcome huge challenges in their lives.

The Homeless World Cup has street partners operating in 420 cities, reaching 100,000 homeless people and impacting on more than one million lives since it started.

The World Cup will take place in Amsterdam in six weeks' time and the Netherlands coaches have committed to selecting players not just on ability, but by carefully assessing each participant’s individual journey and willingness to work on personal developments and life skills.

The same is true for England, with Gareth Parker, head of the Homeless FA, saying: “This year’s Team England squad is an incredibly inspiring group of people who have overcome, and in some cases are still overcoming, huge challenges in their lives.

“Our Team England players have been selected not because of their ability on the pitch, but because they have demonstrated positive attitude, commitment, and organisational skills, whilst improving their physical health and confidence.”

However this isn’t a slight on the Premier League – clubs and players can command these baffling amounts of money due to the demand from fans across the globe.

So for what it’s worth; Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea will win the title again, Brendan Rodgers will leave a struggling Liverpool at Christmas – to be replaced by sacked Real Madrid boss Rafa Benitez – and Wayne Rooney will top the goal-scoring charts.

Oh, and Watford will beat the drop.

Seeing as we’re in full cricket swing, I’m asking who scored the first Ashes century this century?

The answer to last week’s question, who are the Netball World Cup holders, is Australia.