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Asia warming to Premier League 'International Round' idea

(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-10-10 14:30

LONDON - The Asian Football Confederation is willing to listen to proposals for some English Premier League games taking place in the region as part of an "International Round", AFC President Mohamed Bin Hammam said on Thursday.

Mohamed Bin Hammam, president of the Asian Football Confederation, seen here in 2007, is ready to do a u-turn and back the Premier League's controversial plan to play a 39th round of fixtures in cities across the world. [Agencies]

Plans for each English top-flight club to play a 39th game overseas, with matches staged in cities around the world including Asia, were widely opposed last season, with Bin Hammam among those officials unhappy with the initial plan.

However, Premier League Chief Executive Richard Scudamore declared this week he was still exploring the idea of taking the English game global and Bin Hammam was now prepared to reconsider his view if there were some alterations to the proposals.

"It's now up to them if they want to present fresh plans. I'm willing to listen and give my advice," the AFC chief told the BBC. "It's up to us to improve our level of football but we'd like the Premier League to help and support that process."

Bin Hammam had strongly opposed the proposals announced in February for an "International Round" of Premier League fixtures during the 2010-11 season in cities bidding for the rights.

"It's my belief that it's not a good idea to organise domestic leagues in other territories other than their own," he had said. "My recommendation to the AFC Executive Committee would be to reject any initiatives of this nature."

Softer Stance

However, he has since met Scudamore several times -- including in London this week -- to discuss how the Premier League can help Asian football and his stance has softened.

Scudamore has also said fans should not expect any future proposal for the 39th game to be a repeat of the original idea.

"I see they are responsible people and I do not see it as all being about money and greed," Bin Hammam was quoted as saying in Thursday's Guardian newspaper.

"When we talked, I saw that Richard Scudamore does really care about football and fans and the national associations, and that touched us a lot."

He told the BBC: "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."

But Bin Hammam was still concerned television companies in Asia were willing to spend millions on Premier League broadcast rights instead of showing matches from their own 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."