Plan for 39th game 'still on'

[Dirk Gently]

Most media outlets this morning are reporting similar to the below, from The Observer :

The Premier League's proposal for a 39th game, an international round of competitive matches, is 'still very much a possibility', a League executive told Observer Sport last night. However, the executive also admitted that another, less controversial, alternative is being explored 'for all the 20 clubs to play each other in preseason friendlies around the world' - possibly as a forerunner to a future competitive round.

The original proposal, put forward by Premier League chairman Richard Scudamore in February, was immediately rejected by the Football Association, whose chairman Lord Triesman said:

'We haven't got what I would call a sustainable plan in front of us. The whole of the process requires some fresh thinking and some substantive answers to the questions I've posed.'

The first of these cited by Triesman - 'serious problems of congestion in the season' - would be addressed by having matches taking place in July and August. 'There are an array of options still open for discussion,' said the executive. 'These will be presented in September or November - more likely the latter - and it all depends on how far the Premier League chairmen and chief executives wish to go.

'The 39th game might be controversial, but it ticks many boxes - it's meaningful, strategic and a way of levelling up the league. The option of the round being for competitive matches is still very much a possibility. But it could also be similar to an extension of the FA Asia Trophy.'

The Asia Trophy is a four-team tournament played every two years since 2003, which was won last season by Portsmouth, who beat Liverpool in a penalty shoot-out in Hong Kong. 'They would play against each other in matches dotted around the world,' said the executive.

How would it level the Premier League? 'The income would be divided equally among all clubs. Let's say, for example, Manchester United have an income of £20m and Fulham £10m. If as a result of the international round there was £200m to be distributed, then Manchester United would have £30m and Fulham £20m, so they would now have two-thirds rather half of United's income. This would make it easier for buying players and converting into points - this is how it could help level the competition.'

The new proposal was immediately welcomed by a highly placed board member of one foreign-owned Premier League club. 'Our stance has always been that we welcome every step that takes the game further to worldwide supporters. We belong to hundreds of millions of fans of English clubs,' said the source, who confirmed the Premier League is yet to present the suggestion to a meeting of club executives. 'And I'm pretty sure this is the view of certainly all the foreign owners.'

[SpaceCruiser]

Sounds rubbish. Why don't they give it up?

[TBM]

Sounds rubbish. Why don't they give it up?

£££££££££££££

[SpaceCruiser]

Sounds rubbish. Why don't they give it up?

£££££££££££££

Yeah, ain't that the truth. As if the money they already make isn't enough.

[Dirk Gently]

In fact, that was yesterday's story - today it has developed into something quite different - an overseas break in January. The Mirror is reporting it as :

..... But Scudamore and the League board have now come up with a new plan that will see the 20 clubs use a planned winter break from January 2010 to go round the planet in five mini-tournaments worth £5millionplus to each club.
The new idea, which will retain the competitive element required but without impacting on the essential integrity of a home and away league competition, will be put to the clubs next month.
Other options are under consideration but Scudamore envisages a 12-day break, starting after the FA Cup third round and spread over two weekends.
That would allow the clubs to jet off to venues in Africa, Asia, North America and Australia to compete for the new trophies.
It would be based on the successful Asia Cup pre-season competitions, which have included the likes of Liverpool, Portsmouth and Birmingham in recent years.
Clubs would be mandated to send their top players to ensure the host cities - who will bid for the right to have the games, which will be covered by a separate television deal - get their money's worth.
That would scupper the chances of England boss Fabio Capello benefiting by seeing his key players such as Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand given a respite from the sheer demands of the season.
But with Scudamore, a member of FIFA's strategy committee, aware that he blundered by not consulting the international authorities before February's initial announcement, this time the idea will be signed off first.

[Jerry St Clair]

How would it level the Premier League? 'The income would be divided equally among all clubs. Let's say, for example, Manchester United have an income of £20m and Fulham £10m. If as a result of the international round there was £200m to be distributed, then Manchester United would have £30m and Fulham £20m, so they would now have two-thirds rather half of United's income. This would make it easier for buying players and converting into points - this is how it could help level the competition.'

So, equal int he sense that it's completely unequal then?

[papereyes]

Charity shield

League winners
League cup winners (or finalists)
FA cup winners (or finalists)
One other - fair play? last surviving team in UEFA cup?

And they can go and play in Hong Kong or wherever and leave the rest of us in peace.

[Skyline]

Just out of curiosity, but would they need to get permission from the appropriate national FAs to hold competitive games in their countries? Do FIFA have any rules on such things?

[Dirk Gently]

Just out of curiosity, but would they need to get permission from the appropriate national FAs to hold competitive games in their countries? Do FIFA have any rules on such things?

Yes and No. They'd definitely need local FA approval, and FIFA don't really have any specific rules relating to this as far as I know.

[TheMaraudingDog]

Why would United agree to this?
They can tour Africa, Asia, US and get 100% of the funds raised or they can join this scheme and get half.

LOL

[sheshnu]

Premier LOLeague.

Best off out of it.

[Stranded]

How would it level the Premier League? 'The income would be divided equally among all clubs. Let's say, for example, Manchester United have an income of £20m and Fulham £10m. If as a result of the international round there was £200m to be distributed, then Manchester United would have £30m and Fulham £20m, so they would now have two-thirds rather half of United's income. This would make it easier for buying players and converting into points - this is how it could help level the competition.'

So, equal int he sense that it's completely unequal then?

Quite, a £10m gap is still a £10m gap just because the numbers are bigger doesn't make it fairer.

[sheshnu]

I fear you've both completely misunderstood what he's saying there.

In his example, Fulham and Man Utd would both get an extra £10 million income as their share of the theoretical £200 million. He's an idiot for explaining it like he did though.

[Ian Royal]

I'm with papereyes on this one. Maybe Champioship winners rather than fair play, certainly not furthest in UEFA cup.

It's just not going to be sustainable to have that many clubs, half of whom arn't at all attractive pissing around all over the globe. Not enough places will be interested and they'll soon get bored of it.

££££££ light up the eyes and all rational thought leaves the place. They've been shown it's not wanted and wouldn't work and they're still trying to crow bar it in.

[The Cube]

So presumably this would also mean that FA Cup replays would be gone by then?

[TFF]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 661836.stm

Staging Premier League matches in Asia could boost the continent's standard of football, says its top administrator.

Asian Football Confederation president Mohamed Bin Hammam confirmed he is no longer opposed to AFC member states hosting English top-flight matches.

When the Premier League floated its 39th-game idea it drew huge criticism.

"It is now up to them if they want to present fresh plans. I am willing to listen and give my advice," Bin Hammam told BBC Sport.

"It's up to us to improve our level of football, but we would like the Premier League to help and support that process.

"There is a lot of knowledge the Premier League can transfer to us."

Bin Hammam was initially against the Premier League's 39th-game proposal where a round of matches would be played outside England.

But he has changed his mind after meeting senior Premier League officials and gaining assurances that they would seek Football Association, Uefa and Fifa approval before the AFC was asked to allow matches to be staged in its territories.

Bin Hammam told BBC sports editor Mihir Bose: "The Premier League is a brand which has a huge fan-base across Asia, and I believe it has the will and initiative to help develop and support the game there."

Bin Hammam wants to improve the standard of Asian football to generate more income for AFC members and their leagues.

"You cannot stop fans from wanting to watch the best games, and the Premier League is one of the best football products in the world," he said.

"But the desire of broadcasters in Asia to screen Premier League matches rather than their local leagues is where the imbalance is happening.

"They are willing to pay tens of millions to show Premier League games but not a few thousand to show domestic matches.

"That might take years to change, and the Premier League can give us technical assistance and help improve the skills of our administrators, marketing and media staff."

On Tuesday, Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore said any deal to take the league overseas had to be based on 'real' games.

He told BBC Sport: "You can't patronise fans by playing meaningless matches and exhibition games for ever.

"The audience abroad is not silly. They are sophisticated and they want really meaningful matches."

Ever closer...

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

Bin Hammam was initially against the Premier League's 39th-game proposal where a round of matches would be played outside England.

But he has changed his mind after meeting senior Premier League officials and gaining assurances that they would seek Football Association, Uefa and Fifa approval before the AFC was asked to allow matches to be staged in its territories..

Bin Hammam was initially against the Premier League's 39th-game proposal where a round of matches would be played outside England.

But he has changed his mind after meeting senior Premier League officials and gaining assurances that they would let him take a cut if the AFC was asked to allow matches to be staged in its territories..

[Stranded]

Reading other stuff about this it seems the 39th game is dead, but not playing a round of games abroad.

[The 17 Bus]

Seems that The FA bods needed something to actually do, out of interest what do they really do??

Why not reduce the need for more income and sack the oxf*rd, other than a small team to open and close the office each day?