Sport

GAME 39 - OUR CITY SAYS NO

By Editor-in-Chief ⋅ February 25, 2008 ⋅  Print this post ⋅ Post a comment

PROPOSALS FOR 39TH GAME FAIL TO IMPRESS

David Naylor

Last week Richard Scudamore proposed an idea that has caused outrage from various sectors of the footballing world. The proposal was that there should be a 39th game played across the world at the end of every Premier League season to be hosted by the country that bids highest for this ‘privilege’. Of course there are those who say that this is an opportunity to give something back to parts of the world such as Asia and Africa from whom the Premier League takes so much. Indeed, in theory the idea seems a valid one but from other perspectives it could be seen as an aberration.

From the point of view of our city itself, the idea has already been addressed by Rick Parry as “a step too far” and many would surely have to agree. Parry, like many, is concerned that if the suggestion was actually introduced it would “seriously damage the integrity of the competition.” Rafael Benitez was also quick to throw cold water onto the plans: “To play another game in another country is not right for the competition” he said, “You must play here in England with the same opportunities for everyone”. Bearing in mind most Liverpool home games give the club about 1 million pounds and you start to see the major financial attraction that such a proposal would give to the teams in England. Although this one off spectacle would produce about five million pounds for the club, it is interesting to see the club take such a strong view on the matter given that they are currently struggling to pay for a new stadium to be built.

Having said all of this there is a negative side to the idea. After all, who would want to watch some of the lesser teams of the league take on each other in Beijing or Tokyo? Although most Liverpool fans would claim in jest that one of these lesser teams would be Everton, their attraction to the overseas fan base has risen steadily since their fruitful rise under David Moyes. However, Moyes himself has serious doubts over the idea. “My first feeling when I heard it was that it was a load of nonsense” he said and went on to remark that “there’s no doubt it’s about money but that is what brings players to our country.” The question that the Merseyside clubs must ask themselves is ‘do the positives outweigh the negatives?’

From a worldwide point of view, the only person of note to throw their weight behind the idea is Franz Beckenbauer, although even he has some significant reservations. It has been suggested that the idea could further harm the English reputation within Fifa, who already disapprove of the number of foreign players in the Premier League. To add to this, the decision to host games abroad could be extremely detrimental to any chance England has of hosting the 2018 world cup. Indeed Sepp Blatter, the president of Fifa has expressed his opposition to such an idea. He has voiced the opinion of many declaring, “this does not take into consideration the fans of the clubs and it gives the impression that they [the clubs] just want to go on tour to make some money”.

Indeed Blatter has raised a valid point which many of the English managers and chairman agree with for a change. The Premier League is already the richest league in the world with clubs such as Liverpool, Manchester United and indeed Everton making millions each year out of the game in this country. What is clear is that if any of the plans now go ahead the English League and the national team will be despised by jealous confederations who will accuse them of foul play and greed - a claim that many would not be able to dispute.