THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2014 SPORTS English explores global expansion

LONDON: English clubs’ interest in playing dition of anonymity because the discussions have Arnold told the AP: “That’s still an area that’s under watch, who knows?” Pointing to the crowds at matches abroad has prompted the Premier been in private. Although playing a regular season some development. You’ve seen on the tour the some pre-season friendlies in the United States, League to explore the possibilities of expansion game abroad would appear unlikely in the immedi- engagement we get abroad.” Scudamore said: “You wouldn’t get more even if overseas. ate future, the league is looking into organizing Premier League games are broadcast into 650 there was three points, six points, or even nine The league was forced to scrap plans six years lucrative pre-season friendlies and expanding the million homes in 175 countries, according to points riding on that particular game.” ago to add an extra 39th round of matches at ven- existing Premier League Asia trophy tournament to league statistics. The league has been wary about While clubs like United and Liverpool can secure ues across the world amid opposition domestical- other continents. reviving plans to take a game abroad after the ini- lucrative deals for pre-season games, it would be ly and from FIFA. But league chief executive The international interest in preseason games tial discussion in 2008 angered both domestic fans clubs with smaller global fan bases that could ben- Richard Scudamore recently acknowledged that was highlighted by Manchester United’s friendly and FIFA, with questions also about upsetting the efit from the Premier League helping to organize clubs still back the idea. against Real Madrid in Michigan in August. balance of the division by inserting an extra fixture. fixtures. The Spanish league organized its second People with knowledge of the situation have Organized by a third party company, it attracted a “The clubs wanted it (the regular season game “World Challenge” tour ahead of this season, for told The Associated Press that clubs have now crowd of more than 109,000. When asked about abroad in 2008) and they all would still probably Almeria, Atletico Madrid, Deportivo La Coruna, asked the league to conduct a feasibility study Premier League pre-season or even regular season want it now,” Scudamore told the BBC in August. “It Malaga and Valencia as Barcelona and Real Madrid into global expansion options. They spoke on con- games abroad, United managing director Richard will happen at some point. Whether it is on my cut its own deals.— AP Arsenal star Ozil out for 12 weeks

BERLIN: Mesut Ozil will miss ’s Euro training the day after,” said team manager 2016 qualifier against Poland on Saturday and Oliver Bierhoff. faces up to 12 weeks out with a knee injury, Draxler, of Schalke, is expected to join the the German Football Association (DFB) con- squad once he recovers from illness. Even firmed yesterday. The 25-year-old Arsenal star without Ozil, Loew has targeted six points complained of pain in his left knee and was from their games against Poland and Ireland flown to Munich on Wednesday morning to be to give the Germans control of Group D after treated by the DFB’s doctor, who diagnosed a they beat Scotland 2-1 in their opening match. partial tear of the left cruciate knee ligament. Bierhoff said Germany are rebuilding after Ozil will miss the Group D qualifiers in established stars Philipp Lahm, Per Warsaw and against the Republic of Ireland in Mertesacker and Miroslav Klose all retired in Gelsenkirchen next Tuesday. He also misses a the wake of their World Cup triumph in Brazil qualifier against minnows in in July. Nuremberg on November 14, plus a friendly “We want to win both games and give our- against European champions on selves a bit of a cushion in the qualifiers,” November 18. added Bierhoff. “It’s going to be a tough Ozil is also added to Arsenal manager October with two difficult games. Arsene Wenger’s mounting injury list and will “We have to introduce several new players miss the rest of the Gunners’ Champions into the squad because of injuries and a few League group stage matches, including the retirements. “The team will have a different key Group D showdown at home to Borussia look to how it was two months ago.” Dortmund on November 26. Germany coach With Schweinsteiger injured, Germany will Joachim Loew is already missing several stars be captained by goalkeeper Manuel Neuer for for the trip to Warsaw with captain Bastian the next two games. “These are key games for Schweinsteiger, Sami Khedira, Benedikt us, it is important to keep playing well after Hoewedes, Marco Reus and Mario Gomez all the win over Scotland,” said Neuer, of Bayern WARSAW: German players run during a training session of Germany’s national soccer team in Frankfurt. Germany will play against Poland in injured while midfielder Julian Draxler has the Munich. Loew is set to hand a first cap to Bayer flu. Chelsea forward Andre Schuerrle also Leverkusen attacking midfielder Karim Group D qualifying match for the Euro 2016 in Warsaw next Saturday. — AP missed training on Wednesday with a muscu- Bellarabi, who has opted to play for Germany lar problem, but is expected to be fit. “Things over Morocco, where his mother was born, on look good for Andre, he received some treat- the back of several impressive displays in the ment on Tuesday, so it’s normal that he sat out Bundesliga.— AFP Nations play catch-up in race for Euro 2016

PARIS: The campaign to qualify for Euro 2016 intensifies with two rounds of matches played back-to-back over six days, starting from today, offering the chance for those countries who started badly last month to play catch-up. That is the case for Guus Hiddink’s Netherlands, who entertain and then go to Iceland looking to bounce back from a defeat in the Czech Republic, and for Group A rivals Turkey, who were beaten in Iceland last time out and now host the Czechs before an awkward trip to Latvia. Meanwhile, Portugal will play their first match under new coach Fernando Santos when they go to France for a friendly on Saturday before taking on Denmark away next Tuesday. Santos has replaced Paulo Bento, who departed following the shock 1-0 home defeat to Albania in September, and has resorted to recalling experienced faces in 33-year-old Tiago Mendes, Danny, 31, and Monaco defend- er Ricardo Carvalho, 36. Former Greece coach Santos, who is serving a touchline ban, said of Carvalho: “He was pun- ished for a year for his attitude. I know what I want and which players can serve me best. Perhaps other players will emerge in the next month, but we are thinking about the present.” BORISOV: Players of Ukraine’s national soccer team practice during an official training session Carvalho added: “As we lost our first match, in Minsk, Belarus. Ukraine will play against Belarus in Group C qualifying match for the Euro this has become more important for us. We 2016 in the town of Borisov today. — AP need to stick together and adapt to one anoth- BANANA SKIN matches that I have played I have not had a gen- er as quickly as possible so we come into the Reigning European champions Spain are on uine chance anyway. I need to keep working and Denmark game at as high a level as possible.” the road for two Group C fixtures against be ready to take the chance when it comes,” said Elsewhere, England entertain the whipping Slovakia and , with the first game in the Brazilian-born Chelsea star. Italy coach boys of world football, San Marino, at Wembley Zilina a potential banana skin for Vicente del Antonio Conte has recalled Andrea Pirlo, 35, for on Thursday before a trip to Tallinn to face Bosque’s men. “There’s going to be Spanish fever the Azzurri’s Group H matches against because everyone wants to see a game involv- Azerbaijan in Palermo on Friday and Malta away Mesut Ozil controls the ball in this file photo. in a Group E double-header that should provide few problems to ’s ing one of the top teams in the world,” said on Monday. Germany, winners against Scotland side. Indeed, for England, after winning 2-0 in Robert Mak of Slovakia, whose team will rely on in September, go to Poland in Group D before England serious Switzerland in their opening qualifier last Napoli star Marek Hamsik to trouble the visitors hosting the Republic of Ireland in Gelsenkirchen, month, failure to beat San Marino, who have as they look to build on a 1-0 win in Ukraine last and will do so without Schalke’s Julian Draxler, lost their last 59 matches, is unthinkable. “You month. Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos will who has joined the likes of Bastian against San Marino can’t let your standards drop. miss the trip east with a calf injury, but Gerard Schweinsteiger and Marco Reus on the sidelines. Everyone knows it is a game we should win Pique of Barcelona is back in the squad. The World Cup winners’ superb record in LONDON: Having launched their 2016 European nity for England to hone their tactics against and we want to keep improving and play bet- Valencia strike duo Rodrigo and Paco Alcacer, qualifiers could come under threat from a Championship qualifying campaign with an defensive teams. Hodgson’s side visit Estonia ter if we can. You can only beat what is in front who scored in the opening 5-1 win over Robert Lewandowski-inspired Poland, who need impressive win in Switzerland, England face a on Sunday and will also come up against of you,” said midfielder , who Macedonia, also feature, while Diego Costa is results in a tough section in which Scotland will thankless task today when perennial whipping Lithuania and Slovenia in Group E-none of could see Southampton’s Nathaniel Clyne eager to get his first international goal. host and Ireland take on Gibraltar this boys San Marino visit Wembley Stadium. whom will be expected to come out and attack make his international debut at right-back. “I have still not scored here, but if you see the weekend. — AFP With San Marino currently 208th and last in them. the FIFA world ranking, having scored only one “We’ve been working on how we want to goal in their last 29 competitive fixtures, even a play in training, preparing for the game exactly Leiwekes take a stand against Europe’s US soccer plans handsome victory will not earn Roy Hodgson’s as normal and allowing ourselves to be profes- side any credit. sional and put in a good performance and get LONDON: Brothers Tod and Tim Leiweke, two of Lampard. “At the same time, you look at the news “Fans might have seen the stars play, might not England won 5-0 and 8-0 when they met San the three points,” said midfielder . the most powerful sports entrepreneurs in the about UEFA thinking about moving a meaningful have seen the stars play, but all that’s changed.” Marino in qualifying for this year’s World Cup, “I’m sure players will want to fill their boots United States, have questioned the value of series of games over to North America. Is that “The MLS has improved a lot in the last 10 years.” after which the microstate in Italy finished with and get goals. That’s the same in any game. If European soccer clubs staging matches in the US good or bad for Major League Soccer? Jeffrey Webb, president of the CONCACAF a goal difference of -53 for the second qualifying you’re a striker you want to get on the score- and Canada. The brothers, who have been “Is that a pioneer vision or is that a pirate move? region which covers North America, Central tournament in succession. England now have sheet and the same for midfielders, (who) will involved in American sports clubs across different Therein lies the debate.” He said the MLS had pro- America and the Caribbean, disagreed with the control of Group E after winning 2-0 in Basel last be looking for assists as well.” codes, were reacting on Wednesday to a story in gressed over the last decade with US fans under- Leiwekes and told delegates in another seminar he month, but midfielder James Milner believes it With Glen Johnson, and John Britain’s Daily Mail newspaper which suggested standing the game better and being more discern- was in favor of a Premier League game being would be dangerous to slacken off in today’s Stones all unavailable due to injury, UEFA was considering staging mini-tournaments ing about what they watch. “This past summer the staged in North America. “I think it will bode well game. “We can’t let our standards drop,” the in- Southampton’s Nathaniel Clyne will hope to outside Europe. Meanwhile, other media reports biggest draw in Seattle was not Tottenham playing for the future-the game will grow. The U.S market form Manchester City man told a press confer- win his first cap at right-back. said English Premier League clubs have again dis- Sounders it was Sounders playing Portland in front is a great market, not only for the English Premier ence at England’s St George’s Park training base. Aston Villa midfielder missed cussed playing regular season games abroad. of 66,000 people.” League but other leagues as well. I believe this is “Everyone knows this is a game we should win training on Tuesday due to a knock, but he is The brothers said they welcomed the debate going to be a great promotion for the game. It’s a and that’s not being disrespectful. But when expected to be fit to play. San Marino created a on the issue but told the Leaders in Sport Summit LUCRATIVE GAMES win-win situation.” Games in the United States and teams come and sit, it’s not easy to break them sensation against England in 1993 when they at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge stadium they were Tim, who was president and chief executive of Asia have proved particularly popular and lucrative down. scored after just eight seconds of a World Cup against UEFA’s plans and the recent trend of Anschutz Entertainment Group, the owner of especially over the last few years for European “The biggest thing is not letting standards qualifying match, only to go on to lose 7-1. European clubs playing pre-season friendlies in Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles Galaxy and clubs with almost 110,000 fans watching drop, even against lesser opposition. We want to Davide Gualteri’s strike is the only goal they North America. Tod, now the president of Tampa who brought David Beckham to the U.S., is now Manchester United play Real Madrid in Michigan keep improving.” One man itching to get onto have scored in four meetings with England, Bay Sports, said: “One of the challenges I’ve always president of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment. this year. The Premier League’s chief executive the pitch against San Marino will be England who have found the net 26 times against them thrown out there to the powers that be in football He questioned whether Premier League match- Richard Scudamore was widely criticised six years captain , who is currently serving at an average of 6.5 goals per game. is ‘Will you be a pirate or will you be a pioneer?’ es played outside Britain were good or bad for the ago for a plan to introduce an extra match for each a three-match suspension with Manchester But San Marino only lost 2-0 to Lithuania in “Are you going to use North America just as an MLS. “Are those competitors our partners or do club-the so-called “39th game”-at venues in Asia, United. With 41 international goals, the 28-year- their opening Euro 2016 qualifier, and captain opportunity to make some additional dollars or are they see that North American landscape and want the United States, Australia and elsewhere. old needs four more to overtake Jimmy Greaves Andy Selva has urged his team-mates to build as England’s third-highest goal-scorer and he on the improvements they showed in the sec- you going to commit to taking the sport to the to take money out of that landscape? Therein lies However, at the start of this season, he claimed should have plenty of opportunities to add to ond half of that game. “We were braver and next level and help to grow Major League Soccer?” the challenge for Major League Soccer.” He added: clubs still supported the idea. The new plan, it was his tally against San Marino. tried to press them high up the pitch, so we “In the case of Manchester City, they are doing a “For many years clubs came to America, and were reported yesterday, would be for one of the exist- saw a completely different game,” said the 38- phenomenal job in New York. They begin playing little more than pirates, they played a nice game ing 38 rounds of 10 fixtures to be played at various ‘FILL THEIR BOOTS’ year-old forward. “We have to play as we did in next year. They’ve signed David Villa and Frank and filled their bags with cash and flew out. venues around the world. — Reuters The game also represents a useful opportu- the second half in the future.” — AFP