MORE BLATTER BLATHER

Last updated : 09 June 2006 By Editor

From the Telegraph:

The Premier League are heading for a showdown with Fifa after football's world governing body announced yesterday that all top divisions in Europe must have no more than 18 clubs from the 2007-2008 season.

With the 20-strong Premier League operating a three up, three down system, they would have to relegate five clubs at the end of next season.

Fifa president Sepp Blatter insisted:

"The reduction will come by the 2007-08 season. Instead of playing 38 matches, clubs will play 34, and you will have four more dates for the international calendar. The clubs will be happy."

PL spokesman Dan Johnson hit back:

"There's only one group of people who decide the make-up of the Premier League, and that's the 20 clubs. There is no appetite to reduce the size and Fifa cannot force it on us.

"We reduced the league from 22 clubs to 20 in 1995-96, and since then Uefa have expanded the Champions League, Fifa have expanded the World Cup and brought in the Confederations Cup and World Club Championship, so it's a bit rich for anyone to talk about reducing the number of matches."

Geoff Thompson, chairman of the Football Association, said there would be huge implications for broadcasters. Coincidentally, the BBC last night secured a three-year deal for Match of the Day from 2007 for £171 million, an increase of 63 per cent.