Same old bull in a China shop

A BIT RICH FROM THE SPECIAL ONE

“I CAN’T wait to watch Everton play Stoke City in Macau!”said no one, ever.

So why is Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore banging on – again – about a domestic fixture being staged overseas?

The answer is because foreign owners of English football clubs – and that’s pretty much all of the big ones – need to turn their enterprises into truly global brands.

They aren’t going to do that if Everton keep playing on Merseyside as often as not.

It’s even an irritant to them that the majority of the club’s fan-base still lives in and around that area.

The owners want to play overseas because it adds value to broadcasting and sponsorship deals – money they can then pump into an over-inflated transfer market.

It all adds value to their ‘franchise’ too – and when they want to sell, they’ll get a bigger payout. So now you know. But, Mr Scudamore, further to your comment that “clubs would like to do it, but until fan, political and media reaction to it becomes warmer, it won’t happen”... can I just be clear that in this small corner of the media, hell will freeze over before I rate it a ‘good idea’ to stage a Premier League game between Everton and Stoke in China. HAD to laugh when I heard Jose Mourinho (right) moaning about an inflated transfer market. That’s a good one. Didn’t seem to worry him too much back in 2004 when Chelsea had everyone running for cover...