Sports Notes - EPL AROUND THE WORLD - February 2008

Thai fans love their football and idols. These ladies rejoice with the arrival of Manchester United in 2001. NR photo Thai football fans as Man U Red Devils at Man U press conference in Bangkok in 2001 - NR photo Real Madrid was loaded when they came to Thailand

James Loving - National Radio Text Service - Wednesday February 27, 2008

The big brew ha ha about the English Premiere League desiring to play 10 games a year in foreign countries has been blown out of shape. When I think back of the hysteria Thai football fans displayed when Manchester United played a game in Bangkok July 29, 2001 you would think that the lord was returning to part the Red Sea.

NO? WHAT ARE THE POWERS THAT BE THINKING?

The big brew ha ha about the English Premiere League (EPL) desiring to play 10 games a year in foreign countries has been blown out of shape. When you consider that the EPL is largely responsible for the growth of the sports in countries they mentioned to play the games including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Hong Kong you would think those countries would be more than pleased to be a part of such a venture.

The complaint about who would want to see the lower level teams from the bottom of the EPL also makes no sense. The plan to pit the top level sides against lower level makes sense but whatever level the EPL team is it is far better than the football being played in Asian countries.

When I think back of the hysteria Thai football fans displayed when Manchester United played a game in Bangkok July 29, 2001 you would think that the lord was returning to part the Red Sea. I stand corrected by CNN's Larry King correcting me and noted that it was Moses who parted the Red Sea but crediting Moses doesn't have as great an impact so the lord it will be on the next trip. In this case the lord was Manchester United and we'll dismiss my using the lord as creative license.

Liverpool and United are worshiped in Thailand. Liverpool is worshiped by the older generation and Man U by the younger as I've been told by many Thais. EPL teams created more excitement in Thailand than the world's then number one national side Brazil who came were seen but didn't capture the loyalty of Thai fans as there wasn't as large a turnout as for Man U.

What in the world are the leaders of the football associations and confederations on the region thinking when they say they don't want the EPL in their countries with the reason being that it would conflict with their leagues? Are they out of their minds? If it weren't for England there would be no game of football. England invented the sport and continues to be on of the top leagues in the world. More so the International fans of the game wear EPL jerseys more so than those from any other country or league. So what if they make money isn't that what business is about? Think about what excitement and knowledge of the game they can bring to an area.

Does Seth Blatter make money being FIFA president? You bet your sweet ass he does and it's in the millions of dollars. Blatter is a little long in the tooth with his thinking and saying it will never happen. Is this the age of growing the sport or impede it? Is this a power play or that he just didn't take time to think the idea through? For friendly games teams are paid a fee to appear, this EPL idea does not apply. Since this is an EPL venture let the financial weight fall on them.

Here's the drill…. The EPL has done more for the sport than any other league. Other than EPL jersey's Brazil and Barcelona are the only jersey's that I've seen people wearing in Asia. One game a year in an area isn't going to hurt anything. If anything it will stimulate interest and more enthusiasm for the sport.

Yes when Bolton, Manchester City, Everton and Real Madrid played in Bangkok they didn't receive the interest bestowed upon Man U but they did spice up interest in the sport. Attendance was small drawing only 20 to 25,000 fans for those EPL friendly contests. Real Madrid did better. Over 50,000 fans turned out to see the world-class team pulverize the Thais 3-0 with a side that included their Los Galácticos marquee guys David Beckham, Ronaldo, Louis Figo, Zinadine Zidane, Raul and even Michael Owen. I've never heard that their presence hurt local football attendance. In part attendance for games in the Thai leagues isn't all that great. From the reports we've read they can't draw flys. Arsenal drew a decent crowd in their visit but didn't fill the 60,000 seat Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok in their 4-3 loss to the Thai national team.

If FIFA and the powers that be started to think in a more positive manner they could come up with ideas that can work. Here are some:

1. When a game is scheduled by an EPL team they could have an opening game on the same day with the reserve side of one of the EPL teams to play against a regional powerhouse. That would stimulate more nationalism interest.

2. Have the teams conduct a football clinic in the areas they play and a meet and greet affair for the fans. When Man U came to Thailand fans were out in force to greet them but not so much for the best International team in the world Brazil. They wore Red Devil attire, had signs noting their favorite players and simply went wild.

Do you really feel that it would hurt the leagues in Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore? I doubt it. Let the games begin and build the interest in the sport as well as the establishing connections with the teams involved. EPL clubs can get a better look and contact with players in the region for future prospects. Yea, yea, sure, sure …. You can pick anything apart and find chinks in someone's amour but does that achieve anything? All of these doomsayers might have better results if they start living in a can do world. If so... the game would truly be the beautiful game. As Rodney King said, "Why can't we all just get along?"