Triesman reveals FA fears

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The FA board meet on Thursday to discuss the so-called '39th step' and Triesman, who became the first independent chairman of the organisation earlier this month, made clear to a committee of MPs on Tuesday that there are major obstacles to the proposals going ahead.

Triesman said: "Firstly, whatever is proposed must not damage the domestic competitions or prospects of the national team. Fixture congestion is a real issue and I have not seen solutions to this yet."

He added: "Secondly, I am quite clear that the relationships with international bodies have to be sustained, not just because of England's bid for the 2018 World Cup, although that is very significant for us and it would be foolish of anyone to pretend that it is not.

"Thirdly, there has to be a real sense of comfort among the whole football family, fans included, that it is a viable and credible proposal.

"Fourthly, people should feel that whatever happens does not induce the kind of unfairness that may mean that their side, which is perhaps fighting relegation, has a third game against a side which would probably do them some damage in the average encounter."

Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore was due to meet his FA counterpart Brian Barwick on Wednesday to talk him through the details of the proposals.

Scudamore did admit for the first time that the plan for clubs to play a 39th game in a foreign city may have to be scrapped but insisted it is not yet "a dead duck".

He was quizzed by a committee of MPs, some of whom described the plans variously as "daft", "barmy" and "bent".

Scudamore, who hopes to fly to Zurich next week to persuade FIFA president Sepp Blatter of the benefits of the plan, said: "Clearly, we are not going to take this forward if it in any way does not meet with some form of acquiescence from FIFA."