Premier League teams to play matches overseas

Plough the extra money? As if the sport hasn't got enough floating around it at the moment?

I think it's a terrible idea, personally.

I also disagree about English football being in a disaster spiral. The English domestic leagues are the most exciting to watch internationally; and I regularly try to watch the Italin, German and Spanish leagues. The Premier League is competitive and hard-fought.

The domestic cup competitions are starting to become disinteresting with the larger clubs apathetic about the effort they seemingly put in - however on the flipside, a lot of the larger clubs will 'trial' their younger (English) academy players, so it's good to see how the future might be going.

The English national team leaves a lot to be desired, considering the ability of their distinguised parts. But that's the issue - they don't play like a team - it's just 11 millionaires smacking a ball around a pitch and trying to promote their self-worth. Capello may grind out boring results, but if it's results he starts getting then I welcome it - someone needs to put sense and pride back into playing for the national team.

The influx of foreign players (which I think is being intimated above) is potentially damaging to the national squad, but it can be beneficial too. Playing regularly against continential styles has to bring benefit than just playing all English week-in week-out. Maybe there should be a rule saying at least three/four English players in a first eleven though - teams like Arsenal now regularly field first elevens without a single English player. In the English domestic league, that shouldn't be encouraged. Teams like Aston Villa should be lauded for their attitude towards developing talent - and the fact that Capello named five of their players in the senior squad is a fair reflection of that.

The Premier League doesn't need an 'extra influx' of money. The lower leagues need money. Perhaps then the rich/poor divide could lessen, and we would be able to concentrate on and cultivate talent in the UK, not become farms for foreign players.

EDIT: after a quick re-read, that's a bit of a rambling rant... might try to clean it up later.

 

Surely this is just going to make the bigger clubs richer? The likes of Arsenal, Man Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool do have an overseas fanbase but what the Readings and Wigans of the premiership, don’t think they are going to see as much of financial benefit as the top teams.

IMO the Premiership should be looking at regulating ticket prices as some of the lower premiership clubs don’t sell out the stadiums week in week out unless the top teams are visiting.