FA have 'serious reservations' - Sport in brief - Evening Standard
       

FA have 'serious reservations'

The Football Association have expressed "serious reservations" about the proposal to play an extra round of Premier League fixtures abroad.

Earlier this month it was announced that Premier League clubs had unanimously agreed to further examine a proposal which would create a new round of 10 competitive fixtures to be played across the world over one weekend in January, beginning in the 2010-11 season.

The governing body will discuss the matter fully at a scheduled board meeting next Thursday, and have insisted they believe the proposal - criticised by FIFA president Sepp Blatter on Thursday - has not yet harmed England's 2018 World Cup bid.

Blatter said on Thursday: "This will never happen - at least this will not happen as long as I am the president of FIFA."

The FA statement, released to PA Sport on Friday, said: "The Football Association has listened carefully to the comments made by FIFA President Sepp Blatter regarding the Premier League's proposal for an international round of fixtures.

"This proposal has generated a high level of debate both domestically and with the international football family.

"While the Football Association has given full consideration to views expressed by all parties, we must also make our own position on this subject clear.

"We can confirm that the Football Association did speak to FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke about this matter on Thursday.

"We explained that while we had received a verbal summary on the subject, at this time we are not in possession of any detailed proposals from the Premier League to pass on to FIFA.

"It was also made clear to FIFA that the Football Association has some serious reservations about the proposal. We have a responsibility to the whole of English football and we have to consider any wider consequences and implications that this proposal may create."

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