Liverpool CEO Billy Hogan has indicated that the club aren’t advocating for Premier League matches to be played outside of England.
Last month, the Reds’ chairman Tom Werner opened a can of worms when he told the Financial Times that he’s ‘determined’ to have English top-flight fixtures taken to New York and other cities across the globe.
In the very same interview, LFC owner John Henry dismissed the idea as ‘not something that I advocate or am particularly interested in’.
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Hogan has now been speaking to The Athletic about the contentious topic, clarifying: “In that case, Tom was speaking personally. I think not too far after that John was quoted as saying that’s not something we’re actively looking at or pursuing.”
When asked if the Merseyside club could pursue the prospect of taking Premier League games overseas, the CEO replied: “No, I don’t believe so. From our perspective, ultimately, that’s not a Liverpool decision and our owners have said that’s not something we’re interested in.”
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The topic has been thrust back into the spotlight in recent days by unhelpful comments from Mayor of London Sadiq Khan as he talked up the idea of taking the Premier League around the globe, with his stance swiftly drawing criticism from the Football Supporters’ Association (The Guardian).
The Spirit of Shankly group has also voiced its opposition to the prospect of English top-flight matches being played abroad, and it’s a stance that we share as well.
Even though clubs like Liverpool have supporters throughout the world, many of whom rarely (if ever) see the Reds play in their country, it’d be a slap in the faces of the fans who flock to Anfield every week and also pay thousands of pounds each year on regular away trips to support the team they adore.
The same goes for the followers of the other 19 Premier League sides, and spare a thought for players who are already having increased air miles and matches heaped upon them by the ever-expanding workload at club and international level.
Pre-season tours such as the one currently being undertaken by Arne Slot’s squad give fans outside of England the chance to witness their heroes in the flesh. The sport doesn’t need a long-standing domestic league structure being tainted by a money-grabbing pursuit which spits on the sacred rituals of seasoned match-going fans.
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