EUROPE

English Premier League agrees £372m deal with English Football League

The Premier League will provide £372 million (about $600 million) to the 72 English league clubs outside the top flight over the next three seasons. The funding package was announced Wednesday after the Football League clubs agreed on a series of new financial regulations.

As part of the $197 million annual payments, most League Championship clubs will receive $3.5 million. But the clubs relegated from the Premier League into the second tier will now earn $76 million over four seasons instead of $25 million over two years.

ASIA

Uncertainty over Asian billionaire's interest in Liverpool FC

The saga surrounding the sale of British football club Liverpool took more twists on Wednesday as one reported bidder distanced himself from a full-blown takeover and another emerged saying that a deal is almost done. Chinese businessman Kenneth Huang issued a statement confirming that he had registered interest in investing in the 18-time English champions, but that he had made no formal bid.

That came after Syrian businessman Yahya Kirdi claimed that his group of investors from the Middle East and Canada have agreed a price and are negotiating a formal purchase agreement.

Liverpool chairman Martin Broughton claims there have been "several" bids for the club, which was put up for sale in April by American co-owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks. The pair took control of the club three years ago but have endured widespread protests against their ownership due to the amount of debt they loaded onto the club.

Accounts published in June 2009 revealed the club's debts were $462 million and that they had paid $54 million of interest payments to the Royal Bank of Scotland, to service an estimated debt to the bank of around $377 million. Huang said that reports about his involvement were largely speculation.

"Mr. Huang would like to emphasize that he has registered interest in investing in Liverpool FC but has made no formal bid," his statement read. "There has been much speculation and commentary from a wide array of people, many of whom have little knowledge of the facts. Unless there is a statement that specifically comes from Mr. Huang or his authorized representative, which presently is solely Hill & Knowlton Hong Kong office, such comments should be given little credence."

INDIA

India League to start in November

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) are expected to meet later on Wednesday with the I-League clubs and the local organising committees to discuss the intricacies of the nation’s premier football competition. One of the primary reasons for doing so is the unavailability of the ground at several venues chief amongst which is the AIFF XI side from Delhi.

The Ambedkar Stadium shall be used for the some of the friendlies of the Indian national team as part of their preparation for the 2011 Asian Cup in September. However when the Commonwealth Games kickoff in October, the stadium will not be available for any other sporting activity. The 16th Asian Games, scheduled from November 12-27 this year is another issue which the AIFF have to contend with as the Indian squad would be a mix of the 14 players from the India U-23 team of the AFC Challenge Cup and the AIFF XI.

With the I-League clubs having lots a considerable chunk of their players to the Indian national team, any further procurement of their boys would test their tolerance. Given the above situation, it is believed that starting the I-League in the latter half of November seems the best option and it would be interesting to see what the AIFF decide to do however.

A certain quarter proposed that the I-League kickoff in March after the 2011 Asian Cup as all the Indian national team players shall return to their clubs and only those that fulfil the AFC Club Licensing criteria would be part of it. The inherent flaw in this plan is that the I-League clubs have already formed their squads and have begun their training and there is no probably no activity for them until March. Besides, the players contracts would expire in the middle of the league (June) and that would pose a serious problem.

top of page