English clubs plan ´twinning´ in Asia

The English Premier League plans to help develop professional football clubs in Asia through “twinning” partnerships, AFC president Mohammed bin Hammam said here Friday.

The twinning scheme is part of an agreement on cooperation between the world's leading football league and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), bin Hammam told a small group of reporters.

He said the Premier League had already been engaged in various developmental and social assistance programmes at home and abroad, “especially in Asia.”

Now the top-flight 20-club league has come forward to support the AFC in technical, organisational and other areas and “we are counting a lot on their support,” he said.

“There could be or would be twinning between our clubs in Asia and Premier League clubs,” bin Hammam said.

“There will be a platform for our administrators and officials as well as coaches to join the Premier League for gaining experiences they have and knowledge they have.”

“They are caring about our success and we are also caring about their existence in Asia,” the Qatari said. “At the end of the day, we found there is a lot of mutual interest between us.”

He made the remarks as he formally announced a new format for the AFC Champions League from 2009 on the sidelines of the Club World Cup.

Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore, speaking alongside bin Hammam, said there would be criteria for twinning between Premiership clubs and Asian clubs of the Champions League level.

“We rely on the Asian confederation to steer us in the right direction,” he said, admitting that it could be a “long process” to establish such tie-ups.

There could be some reservations about clubs in China amid disappointments and controversy surrounding football in the world's most populous country.

China are given spots for four clubs in the AFC Champions League which will be expanded from 28 to 32 teams next year. Thirty teams are from 11 qualified countries and two come from qualifying play-offs.

“I'm sure these four clubs (from China) will find partners in England,” an AFC official said, but added: “Maybe not all of them are wanted yet at this stage.”

The partnership accord followed a recent bust-up over the Premier League's plan to play one “39th” round abroad, possibly in Asia.

Bin Hammam had initially denounced the idea as he feared it would further hamper the development of Asia's own leagues and national sides.

But he changed his mind and welcomed it after he was convinced that the Premier League intends to leave a positive “legacy” in Asia rather than exploit the lucrative region.

Bin Hammam said that Asia had always been concerned about whether foreign clubs would “come and collect the money and go” or if they would leave some legacy.

“Now we know there will be benefits for Asian football,” he said. “It's not like an invasion.”