/ 9 February 2008

Support grows for Premier League’s global plans

Support within English football for controversial plans to take Premier League matches around the world appeared to be growing on Friday as influential figures including Arsene Wenger and Roy Keane voiced their backing.

But the prospect of opposition from Fifa also loomed large after the world governing body said it would examine the proposals at its next executive committee meeting, on March 14.

Fifa president Sepp Blatter last year criticised Manchester United for planning a pre-season friendly in Malaysia during last year’s Asian Cup, helping to ensure the match was cancelled, and similar concerns over ”football colonialism” could lead to attempts to block the league’s planned move overseas.

Reaction to the idea among managers and players on Friday was, however, significantly more positive than many had anticipated following an almost unanimously negative response from fans and the media.

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson was angered that the proposals were made public before he was consulted, but he did not come down for or against them, a stance that perhaps reflects the reluctance of even the most secure of managers to come out against an idea supported by their employers.

Wenger appeared enthusiastic although he acknowledged that there could be major logistical problems involved in adding the new ”international round” of games to an already packed fixture list.

The Arsenal manager played down concerns among British-based fan groups about their clubs becoming American-style franchises.

”Ninety percent of people who love the Premier League have no access to the games,” Wenger said.

”Friendlies will not keep people interested in the game. It is not respecting people who love the game to say you can watch it on television but not live.

”I don’t want to be against it just because it is a new idea.”

Ferguson restricted his comments to a broadside against the Premier League, observing: ”They can’t keep their mouths shut down there.”

But the 66-year-old Scot also hinted that he was not too keen on the idea, jokingly suggesting that he may have retired by 2011, when the first overseas matches are due to take place.

”I will not be here by that time I hope,” he smiled. ”I don’t fancy a flight to Bombay or Sumatra or wherever.”

There was support from Keane, although the Irishman acknowledged that struggling clubs like his Sunderland could suffer if their extra match turns out to be against a top club.

”It’s great,” Keane said. ”Change is good but that depends who you are playing in that extra game. If it’s one of the top four, I might argue.”

”It’s three years away and I think we should all be trying to be positive about it.”

There was also enthusiasm among some players. Everton captain Phil Neville said the scheme would work if it was linked to a winter break to make the travelling involved feasible.

”I can understand what the traditionalists may say, but the Premier League is worldwide,” said the England international.

Neville’s teammate, Tim Cahill, who has spent this week in Australia on World Cup duty, echoed those sentiments, describing the prospect of playing for Everton in Sydney as ”awesome”.

”The Australian people love Premier League football and I am sure a club as big as Everton would attract a massive following,” added the midfielder.

Under the proposals, the overseas matches will start in the 2010/11 season with five cities hosting two matches each on the same January weekend.

Chief executive Richard Scudamore estimates that the clubs could generate over £5-million each for their one trip.

Among the cities touted as possible venues are Bangkok, Beijing, Dubai, Hong Kong, Johannesburg, Melbourne, Miami, New York, Singapore and Sydney.

Would-be hosts, however, will face cut-throat competition from rivals in their own region because the league wants to ensure a spread of matches across different time-zones to ensure matches can be viewed consecutively on television in Britain and Ireland, generating further revenue. — Sapa-AFP