Give to Asia instead of taking, football chiefs tell top clubs

KUALA LUMPUR: Top European clubs that tour the lucrative emerging markets of Asia need to do more to develop the game here instead of just turning up, taking the money and running.
That’s the message from FIFA president Sepp Blatter and his counterpart at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Mohammed bin Hammam as controversy rages over Manchester United’s regional trip in July.
The two men, close confidants, want to see less business savvy from the big teams and more morality in a region that offers huge untapped riches in terms of talent, television revenues and merchandise.
Blatter, who preaches football “solidarity” at every opportunity, said teams like United should ensure any tour includes clinics for Asian players, contributions to charities and help for young footballers.
“We have to know where they want to go — if football shall only be a business or football shall continue to bring hope, entertainment, passion, emotions, but not only for the rich,” he said.
Asked by AFP if clubs should be doing more to help Asian football, Blatter said: “Definitely. It’s good if the big clubs come but they should give something and not just take away.
“They have already taken a lot of money through television rights in Asia. If they are coming personally it is good to expose the stars but make sure you hold activities around the football.
“Invite youngsters, help some charities or do humanitarian activities, conduct clinics with the players.
“This would be good instead of just coming in and training, sleeping, playing and leaving. It should be more, to give and take — that’s life.” United, the newly-crowned Premier League champions, have been criticised by Blatter and bin Hammam this week for scheduling an Asian tour in July to Macau, Japan, South Korea and Malaysia during the Asian Cup finals.
Bin Hammam accused United of “disrespect” to Asian football, fearing their presence will overshadow the flagship regional tournament.
While he welcomes European clubs touring Asia at the right time, he is adamant, like Blatter, that they need to put more back into developing Asian football.
“I think this is the mentality of the administrators when they organise these sorts of matches. Some will be leaving behind a legacy that benefits the youth and the football of the country,” he told AFP.
“But some don’t care, they just want to collect the money and go. “I think if they are a big club they are role models, and this gives them a responsibility to those who are less advanced.
“Part of the money (they earn) has to go to support youth programmes in this region. Schools need sports equipment, the leagues are suffering, they are poor and can’t organise themselves.
“If you want to do a good thing there are a thousand ways to do it.” Chelsea are one of the few top clubs to escape criticism, having committed this year to provide financial and technical support to mainly grassroots football clubs in China until 2010.
Chief executive Peter Kenyon, a regular visitor to Asia, has been vocal about the need for English clubs to do more than count the dollars.
At a conference last year he cited Real Madrid’s widely-criticised tour of China in 2005. They charged as much as 100 US dollars for tickets and he said such profiteering risked alienating fans.
“They raped the game for revenues and the best talent. There was almost a backlash,” he told the International Soccer Arena conference in Zurich. (AFP)