Premier League across the globe ?

[Elano]

FABIO CAPELLO and Harry Redknapp were last night stunned by sensational plans to play an entire weekend of Premier League matches across the globe.

Prem bosses yesterday confirmed they want to add a 39th game to the annual fixture list — to be played in mid-January at warm venues like Sydney, Los Angeles or Cape Town. Incredibly, England’s new boss Capello knew nothing about the jaw-dropping scheme, while Portsmouth chief Redknapp immediately branded it “unnatural.”
He raged: “I don’t know why the Premier League want to mess with things.”
The extra fixture would be worked out by a draw, with the top five Premier teams seeded so they could not play each other.
Countries would then bid for the right to stage the games — with the winning cities hosting two matches over one money-spinning weekend.

Not fair

Some clubs would have to face one of the top teams THREE times in one season — with points at stake still counting towards final positions.
Redknapp added: “This is not ideal, is it?
“And what happens if you are unlucky enough to get Manchester United or Arsenal — surely that’s not fair. But it looks as though the plan is done and dusted.
“Frankly, I’d be very surprised if it stays at one game a season.
“Eventually you will see two, three or even more going abroad — and I don’t like that.”
Yet chairmen are licking their lips at the prospect of picking up at least £5million per club.
The Premier League’s 20 clubs yesterday agreed to study the plan, which may come into effect in January 2011.
Prem chief executive Richard Scudamore backed the proposal, saying: “We are very excited about it.
“This is a huge strategic move — as big as when this league started. “The clubs are saying the time has come. And if we don’t do it, another sport — or another league — . The league cannot stand still. “We’ve been wrestling with it for some time. In the last five years, we have been inundated with offers. “Football is a global phenomenon.
This is a response to globalisation. “But it will only be one more game.” The plan is likely to be rubber-stamped next January but Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate summed up much of the feeling in the game. He quipped: “Is it April 1?”

MANAGERS' REACTION

GARY MEGSON believes it is a fantastic idea to spread the Premier League gospel around the world.
Bolton boss Megson insists he is not concerned by the extra workload on his players — or the prospect of travelling thousands of miles for a game.
He said: “I think it’s great. If it was organised properly it would be taken to an area where there is maybe not a massive amount of football but the exposure is there in terms of TV. “It’s similar to the NFL playing a game in London. “I don’t think it will be a huge problem and the benefits far outweigh the cons.”
Megson added: “The exposure the Premier League gets from television is fantastic and the interest in places you wouldn’t think there is interest is huge.
“In principle it’s a good thing. There have been some things I thought at the time were duff ideas but turned out to be a benefit — things like banning keepers from picking up a back-pass.” Fulham boss ROY HODGSON said: “It is obviously a marketing thing. “I would have to have a clearer picture of what is behind this marketing idea - I would have to find out more about it.” But the Craven Cottage chief added: “One extra game of football a year, as long as the calendar can be sorted out, that doesn’t seem to be a deal-breaker.”

PLAYERS' REACTION

DERBY midfielder ROBBIE SAVAGE admits he would be a reluctant flier round the globe.
Savage, who will be 36 by the time the intended plan takes off, said: “I’ve been an advocate of a mid-winter break. “It’s needed given the amount of games we play.
“We all know how popular the Premier League is across the world, so it’s perhaps understandable the League bosses have gone this way.
“But from a player’s viewpoint, it’s daunting. It will certainly take its toll physically if we are flying half-way round the world and back before starting domestically again.
“We need a break and I’m all for that. But I would sooner be spending it with my family than flying off to the Far East, for example. It would be terrific to be able to spend some time with them in the middle of the season. “On balance, from my point of view I really don’t like the idea too much. It will be very taxing on players.
“Mind you, I’m not the best flier in the world. I’ve never liked it, so there might be some of that in there.”
PHIL NEVILLE backs the globetrotting proposal — as long it is properly organised.
And the Everton skipper could even see it taking the form of a mid-season break, with a solitary fixture in the sunshine thrown in.
Neville, 31, said: “I can understand what the traditionalists may say, but the Premier League is worldwide. After each game you’re doing interviews for Asian TV, Australasian TV, everywhere. This is a chance to spread the gospel even more. “Obviously it couldn’t work if you were coming back and having a midweek game a couple of days later. But as long as there is proper recovery time then I’d be very excited by it. “We play Reading this weekend and if we were doing that in the Giants stadium in New York, all my family would be there — along with about 20,000 scousers! “Some have called for a mid-winter break, but this could actually be part of it. You could have your one game in the middle of, say, a two-week spell, and everyone would benefit.”


http://www.premierleague.com/page/Headlines/0,,12306~1235581,00.html

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