English Football Under Threat

[StLGooner]

Thing is, there are already countless tournaments taking place pre-season, "The Amsterdam Tournament", "The Emirates Cup", "The I Don't Know What Cup" and "The Debbie Does Dallas Cup" all of which make amazing amounts of money for the teams, players and sponsors, but not a penny for The FA..... And they don't like it!

Christ, they make millions just selling the games for media broadcast across The Globe as it is! Why the need to make more? Greed, that's what! And we would be fools to see it out.

We don't want it, we don't need it, and it would destroy the game as we know it.

So the real question is................................. where do we get to see this "Debbie does Dallas Cup"?

[UFGN]

AFC (head of football in Asia) President gives official response to FA Premier League international plans:

“With relation to the overall principle, it is my belief that it is not a good idea to organise domestic leagues in other territories other than their own. If this principle is accepted, then the FA Premier League must accept reciprocal arrangements within their own territory”.

“Saying that, my recommendation to the AFC Executive Committee would be to reject any initiatives of this nature. And we would urge the AFC member associations to protect their own national leagues and clubs within their territories. This is our position.”

And the Australian and Japanese FA's have effectively said "no" as well

Er, I believe the relevant word, seeing this is an internet forum, is PWNED

Now the Premiership and the clubs can get shafted if they think its going to go ahead

[Fabrestuta]

Thing is, there are already countless tournaments taking place pre-season, "The Amsterdam Tournament", "The Emirates Cup", "The I Don't Know What Cup" and "The Debbie Does Dallas Cup" all of which make amazing amounts of money for the teams, players and sponsors, but not a penny for The FA..... And they don't like it!

Christ, they make millions just selling the games for media broadcast across The Globe as it is! Why the need to make more? Greed, that's what! And we would be fools to see it out.

We don't want it, we don't need it, and it would destroy the game as we know it.

So the real question is................................. where do we get to see this "Debbie does Dallas Cup"?

It would bring new meaning to the term "going down in the box".

[SE13]

I've not seen much tv, simply because I generally don't watch it, however, I have just tuned to Skysports News, and that idiot Scudamore is trying to defend it all now, stating that ALL 20 Premiership managers have backed this.

Now, didn't I see Ferguscum critisise it, saying that he hadn't even been consulted? Didn't Wenger say that it wasn't workable?.... That suddenly leaves a major flaw in his plan. Or is he just looking at this through the rose tinted, (and gold gilted) spectacles?

[StLGooner]

Thing is, there are already countless tournaments taking place pre-season, "The Amsterdam Tournament", "The Emirates Cup", "The I Don't Know What Cup" and "The Debbie Does Dallas Cup" all of which make amazing amounts of money for the teams, players and sponsors, but not a penny for The FA..... And they don't like it!

Christ, they make millions just selling the games for media broadcast across The Globe as it is! Why the need to make more? Greed, that's what! And we would be fools to see it out.

We don't want it, we don't need it, and it would destroy the game as we know it.

So the real question is................................. where do we get to see this "Debbie does Dallas Cup"?

It would bring new meaning to the term "going down in the box".

[StLGooner]

AFC (head of football in Asia) President gives official response to FA Premier League international plans:

“With relation to the overall principle, it is my belief that it is not a good idea to organise domestic leagues in other territories other than their own. If this principle is accepted, then the FA Premier League must accept reciprocal arrangements within their own territory”.

“Saying that, my recommendation to the AFC Executive Committee would be to reject any initiatives of this nature. And we would urge the AFC member associations to protect their own national leagues and clubs within their territories. This is our position.”

And the Australian and Japanese FA's have effectively said "no" as well

Er, I believe the relevant word, seeing this is an internet forum, is PWNED

Now the Premiership and the clubs can get shafted if they think its going to go ahead

thats good news, and thats a start. Unfortunately I don't see us greety Americans turning it down, but hey lets pray for a surprise.

[UFGN]

I've not seen much tv, simply because I generally don't watch it, however, I have just tuned to Skysports News, and that idiot Scudamore is trying to defend it all now, stating that ALL 20 Premiership managers have backed this.

Now, didn't I see Ferguscum critisise it, saying that he hadn't even been consulted? Didn't Wenger say that it wasn't workable?.... That suddenly leaves a major flaw in his plan. Or is he just looking at this through the rose tinted, (and gold gilted) spectacles?

No its because he is a bastard.

Check my post above, some good news

[SE13]

I've not seen much tv, simply because I generally don't watch it, however, I have just tuned to Skysports News, and that idiot Scudamore is trying to defend it all now, stating that ALL 20 Premiership managers have backed this.

Now, didn't I see Ferguscum critisise it, saying that he hadn't even been consulted? Didn't Wenger say that it wasn't workable?.... That suddenly leaves a major flaw in his plan. Or is he just looking at this through the rose tinted, (and gold gilted) spectacles?

No its because he is a bastard.

Check my post above, some good news

They were always going to say no! Think of the outcry if The French or Swiss planned to interupt our season by staging a game at Wembley, Ashburton Grove, Old Trafford, Anfield, St James and the like. They wouldn't allow it, and nor should the authorities overseas.

It's lunacy from start to finish, and the sooner this idea gets binned, the better!

[ozgooner]

if the fa was serious about expanding the fan base of the premier league why wouldn't some of the teams host coaching clinics abroad involving only a few of each teams players . or they could do what they did in oz in 1988 where arsenal , man city and nottingham forest came over here for a six-a-side indoor comp . a mate of mine went as a ballboy and got david rocastles signature (and he's a liverpool supporter)

oh hang on ...... there wouldn't be much money to be made in that , would there

[arseman]

I've just received a rather curt response from Man Utd

In reply to your email
Any decisions on the future structure of the Premier League are for the 20 member clubs to decide as a whole. Clubs have given the Premier League the authority to examine the idea further. No decisions have been taken.

Best wishes

Enquiries

[SE13]

I've just received a rather curt response from Man Utd

In reply to your email
Any decisions on the future structure of the Premier League are for the 20 member clubs to decide as a whole. Clubs have given the Premier League the authority to examine the idea further. No decisions have been taken.

Best wishes

Enquiries

Got that one myself earlier. I think that's three now who have sent an e-mail with regard to this.... Middlesbrough, ManUre and The FA themselves.

However, listening to the news, more and more Football Associations are saying NO WAY to these plans, which can only be a good thing.

[Fabrestuta]

You can't blame "lesser" football federations from being pissed off over the Premier Leagues proposal. In countries like Aus, Japan, America etc, they are want to get their own leagues recognised by the world, then they hear the Prem decide they are going to waltz in and play a match.
Could you imagine the uproar if La Liga or Serie A decided they wanted to play a league game in England?

[SE13]

Sepp Blatter has stepped in now, and said that this is a non-starter. It makes a change for him to get something right!

[Fordy]

Its the first time i have ever liked what this guy said

Fifa president Sepp Blatter has vowed to block the Premier League's proposal for a round of international fixtures because he does not want the game to turn into a 'circus act'.

Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore has revealed plans to introduce an additional fixture for each club in the 2010/11 season, which would be played overseas.

Blatter, though, has rubbished the idea and insists he will tell the relevant football associations not to accept the idea when a Fifa committee meets on 14th March.

And Blatter has also indicated that, if the Premier League attempt to follow through the proposals, it could damage any possible English bid for the 2018 World Cup.

Unacceptable

"We will make a decision on 14th March at the meeting of Fifa's executive committee," Blatter told the Mirror.

"We will say the national associations must not accept it. We must maintain football as a sport. It is not a show, or the Harlem Globetrotters, or a circus act.

"There is not any chance at all of me changing my mind. My mind is made up.

"If Mr Scudamore says this will help England's World Cup bid let him say it. There are many candidates for 2018.

Decision-making

"I can't imagine when you go against the decision-making body for the World Cup with an initiative that will not be accepted by that body, that it will enhance your chances.

"It will not be diplomatic. If you don't accept the authority of Fifa then you can't expect to win favour."

And Blatter insists that the Premier League have not considered the interests of the game and are only focused upon money making motives.

"To try to have additional exposure and revenue by expanding the league around the world, I think this is not acceptable," added Blatter.

Rude

"It will not be acceptable to the Fifa executive committee, I am sure. This will never happen - at least this will not happen as long as I am the president of Fifa.

"We have not been contacted before by the league to ask us what we think of this idea. You speak about rude but I think it is an anti-responsibility.

"If you are the most prosperous league in the world and if you accept that everyone in football has a responsibility to maintain it not only as a business, but as a game.

"Then, all of a sudden you come out with a project which only has business and money behind it."

A Premier League spokesman added in the Mirror: "We look forward to meeting with Fifa to discuss this matter. This was always the starting point relating to sanctioning and we will be making no comment until after the meeting."

[Cheese]

Finnally Sepp Blatter has something useful to say...

I can't help think though that the reason he has apposed the Premier League plans are because he wants to see Champions League games played in America and the Far East.

My brother joked (or at least i hope he was joking) that we are more likely to see the Carling Cup final or FA Cup final played abroad.