PREMIER LEAGUE Chief Executive Richard Scudamore says he remains convinced domestic matches will be played abroad one day.
However the man who provoked outrage nine years ago, when he proposed introducing a ‘39th,’ Premier League, accepts his original plan is dead in the water.
And he confessed a rival league will have to take the plunge first before English fans finally warm to the idea of exporting some Premier League fixtures overseas.
Scudamore says he still bear the scars from 2008, when club owners gave his emotive blueprint the thumbs-up – only for supporters and then FIFA President Sepp Blatter to give it an emphatic thumbs-down.
Speaking in Hong Kong, where Liverpool, West Brom, Leicester City and Crystal Palace are currently flying the flag for English football at the Premier League’s Asia Trophy, Scudamore revealed: “There is no plan to do it.
“The clubs would like to do it but we are realistic. Until the fan, political and media reaction becomes more warm towards it – it won’t happen.
“If it ever did happen it wouldn’t be a 39th game anyway. I think there would be a desire to do a round of fixtures internationally but there is no prospect of it happening anytime soon.
“It’s a slight understatement to say I was shot down (when it was first suggested). I’ve still got the scars all the way up my back!
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“I may be at the Premier League for another 5, 10, 15 or 20 years but there is no plan to do it.”
Scottish football came close to staging an SPFL fixture between Dundee and Celtic game in Boston or Philadelphia last season – with Sky TV ready to screen the historic match live.
However amid protests from some other clubs, Dundee’s American owners Tim Keyes and John Nelms reluctantly shelved their plans.
However Scudamore believes it is only a matter of time before someone dips their toe in the water.
He added: “I believe it was a good idea to try and do it then and I still do but I understand it is unacceptable.
“I don’t do anything for a false reaction. I put my neck out and said I think we should do this. I thought it was the right thing to do I, still do.
“I just think it would be an unbelievable thing but it’s not going to happen.
“If someone does that’s great. It would make it easier for us. We don’t need to be first. Sometimes first up isn’t best dressed.”
In Hong Kong in midweek a capacity 40,000 stadium brimming with Asian Liverpool fans, sang the club anthem: ‘Walk On,’ as Jurgen Klopp’s side beat Crystal Palace to set up a Saturday final against Leicester City.
Scudamore was there to witness four Premier League sides compete – while elsewhere in the region Premier League coaches and referees passed on expertise and knowledge to local coaches and refs through the Premier League Skills programme.
Scuadmore said: “It was brilliant.
“But I fully understand those who have bought a season ticket and been to every game home and away for the last 25 years.
“They deem themselves to be at the highest eschelon of fan commitment. I get that. You can’t take that away from anyone.
“But I also I think those fans now realise those clubs now are global success stories. That global success has come from interest that other fans have.
“I would put a lot of people here on these trips up against anyone back home in a pub quiz, in terms of knowledge of ‘their,’ club.
“The fact they haven’t walked down through terraced houses, smelt the hot dogs and onions... or stepped in the police horse crap on the pavement. I understand they haven’t sensed all that.
“But that’s not to say there isn’t an appreciation, a knowledge a passion and an unbelievable interest in their club or the Premier League.
"It’s that which is being channelled to make the game what it is.”
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