PL Threatens The Essence Of Our Game

As darkness draws in, and the final breaths are taken, the heart monitor beeps it's last few beeps, the decision has been made to finally flick the switch and terminate the life of this once vibrant being.

You may be excused for thinking that the first paragraph was the opening scene from an episode of Casualty, but truth be told, that was the image that popped into my head upon hearing the news that the Premier League chiefs were looking into the possibility of adding an extra fixture to the season with a view to playing it abroad.

Astoundingly, the 20 clubs of the Premier League voted unanimously in favour of the move, offering it would provide a stage to show the rest of the world just what they're missing.

With this move the fat cats who make the decisions risk the integrity of the whole league. Aside from the proposals being a blatant exercise in money making, it makes a mockery of the whole system.

The league is based upon 38 matches, 19 home, 19 away, each team has the opportunity to earn the same amount of points from the same amount of played games from the same teams, be they great, average or down right shit. To add an extra random fixture would turn the outcome of the league into a random event.

Often in this great sport that we all love, the lines between winning and losing are minuscule. Titles have been decided on goal difference, relegation threatened teams saved at the 11th hours due to a last gasp goal, but each team has battled to the end of a fair contest. To place these all important outcomes on the face of one random fixture is not only reckless, but it's dangerous.

If it wasn't bad enough that the morons in charge thought that this extra fixture was a good idea, some buffoon decided that it should be played in another country. Not only do fans in England get ripped off with extortionate ticket prices, but now we're expected to pay the price for flights and hotels just to watch a league game.

Will the clubs include plane and accommodation costs within the price of a season ticket? I thought not.

With the risk of sounding like a Little Britainer, people from other countries made the decision to follow English football, if they wish to take in the live match day experience, then it's the responsibility of these individuals to cough up the readies to make the way to the country that is included in the league's title.

Peter Scudamore had the audacity to dress this move up as a 'Winter break' citing the new year of 2011 as a time to introduce the fixture.

I think the managers campaigning for a winter break had a break from football completely in mind when they offer the premise of a break, not flying their players half way round the world in an attempt to line the pockets of the suits ruining our game.

Dark times are truly at our door.

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