The BBC is reporting that at a meeting in London all 20 EPL clubs including Arsenal agreed to explore a proposal to extend the season to 39 games.
The new games would be played at around the world, with cities bidding for the right to stage them. The additional 3 fixtures would be fixed by a draw but that the top-five teams could be seeded to avoid playing each other.
So for the extra games Arsenal could play Tottenham in Thailand, while Manchester United might play Derby County in New York. The imbalance could be overwhelming with one club travelling for 4 hours across just two time zones while another passes eight hours and eight time zones.
While clubs like Chelsea and Manchester United are well known for their “go anywhere if you pay” attitude, Arsenal has always shunned his approach, and it is extraordinary that the club should change its position now. Manchester United were widely criticised for going to Saudi Arabia – a country where a brutal government routinely chops off limbs for minor offences – and prancing around with knives.
Worse the games would not be friendlies, and would add to an insanely large legaue table. At a time when many of us are trying to get the number of internationals reduced our arguments are undermined by this crazed attitude by the clubs.
However it might not be all bad news. With Arsenal already looking to put a team into the 2nd division in Spain, and discussions continuing about a European League this might be the final straw that pushes the bigger clubs into getting together to discuss a sensible use of their resources.
