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LONDON - SUNDERLAND manager Roy Keane has become the highest-profile name to back the English Premier League's plans to stage matches across the world.
He said: 'It's great. Change is good, but that depends who you are playing in that extra game. If it's one of the top four, I might argue.'
But everyone else seems to disagree, with the bombshell achieving the rare distinction of uniting the popular press in almost universal condemnation yesterday.
'For Sale, our national game,' said the Mirror, adding 'outrage at greedy plan'.
'Football's sold its soul,' said the Express, 'Global warning' cried The Sun, 'They're killing our game,'wrote The Mail.
The Independent weighed in with 'Chase for cash threatens to rob game of founding principle,' while The Times said 'Fans furious at Premier League plans for world domination'.
Every paper carried reactions from managers and former players, most condemning the idea for its logistical problems as well as an example of the game moving ever further from its traditional fan base.
Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate asked: 'Is it April 1? I find it highly unlikely it would happen. I wouldn't think it would be a realistic proposition.'
His counterpart at Wigan, Steve Bruce, also predicted opposition, although he is personally not totally opposed to what he regards as an inevitable development.
'There will be a few irate people,' Bruce said. 'Can you imagine going to Alex Ferguson and telling him, 'By the way, you're not playing at home this week, you are playing in Japan'? I'd like to see it!
'It's interesting. I've been fortunate enough to be in the Middle East and the affection for the Premier League is unbelievable.'
United manager Ferguson light-heartedly suggested that he may have retired by the time the Premier League goes global in 2011.
'I will not be here by that time, I hope,' he smiled. 'I don't fancy a flight to Bombay or Sumatra or wherever.'
But he did slam the League for going public with the plans before it had fully consulted managers and players.
'They can't keep their mouths shut down there,' he said. 'If they are going to do these things, they should have held discussions with managers and players before coming out with all this stuff and making an issue of it.'
He was, however, pleased by another announcement on Thursday: The proposal to increase the number of substitutes on the bench to seven from the current five. But, as per current regulations, only three can be used.
Football Supporters' Federation (FSF) chairman Malcolm Clarke labelled the proposal to go global 'ludicrous'.
'The FSF has no doubt whatsoever that the vast majority of supporters are against this, and believe it would drag the Premier League into the realms of farce,' he said.
'When this ludicrous idea was first mooted last year, we ran a poll and 80 per cent were in complete opposition.
'The sole motivation for this is to make more money. Aren't they making enough already?'
England's elite league on Thursday said its 20 clubs unanimously agreed in principle to introduce a 39th round of matches, which would take place in January with cities around the world bidding for the right to stage them.
Richard Scudamore, the Premier League chief executive, anticipated the criticism that the integrity of the competition could be damaged if, for example, United beat Derby 5-0 in their one-off game, while Chelsea drew 1-1 with a top-half side like Blackburn.
'I admit it is a deviation, albeit a minor one. But integrity is a different word,' he said.
'There are inherent unfairnesses in our league, like playing a team coming back from a long trip in Europe or with players injured or suspended.
'But that is not a lack of integrity.'
The Football Association stated that it wished to be included in any discussions about how to accommodate the extra matches in an already congested calendar.
And, instead of making an official comment, Fifa, football's world governing body, referred to Article 77 of its statutes, which states that 'members and their clubs may not play on the territory of another member nation without the latter's approval'.
REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
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