"In England, you already have no English coach, no English players and maybe now you will have no clubs playing in England. It's a joke." The strong, yet very appropriate words of Michel Platini regarding the Premier League's announcement of a design to stretch the Premiership beyond breaking point with an extra game, not to mention taking the greatest show on earth half way across the globe. PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor adds "Change is not always for the better, change can sometimes affect the very strength of the roots that have caused you to be the most popular game in the world,". Never a truer word spoken.

It seems that someone down at Premier League HQ had a little spare time on there hands and was looking to impress the top dogs with this groundbreaking, and somewhat controversial idea. The debate since the announcement has rumbled in many a jungle with opinions springing up from all corners of the globe. Indeed the Australian FA have made it clear they would not welcome the idea in their homeland, whilst the ever money hungry Americans from the MLS are in favour.

Do we really want this? Why do the Premier league think they can fill a 75,000 seater stadium in , let's say Japan, for Wigan V's Blackburn? These are two teams that can hardly fill there own grounds let alone one twice the size and half way around the world to boot. Ludicrous notions always start off as small time ideas and if no one's watching they snowball into disasters. Any one reading this ever go to the Dome? Not likely, as that too was a small minded idea that got free from it's farcical leash and ran and ran, ultimately head on into a financial brick wall.

Admittedly the Yanks would lap up the big 4 but would they be so keen on the little ones too, I'm not sure they would. In a country where you super-size this and put a side order with that, are they going to understand a team that comes from a Cottage? What about a Brummie revolution in down town Bangkok, or Boro V's Sunderland in Russia? If you think it's difficult to wrap up warm for a game in the North-East then try Moscow in the Winter time. Whilst the Dubai's and USA's of the globe will lap this idea up the other nations aren't so sure, especially this nation.

This nation, that already lines the ever expanding pockets of Multi-Million pound football clubs. This nation, that pays hundreds and thousands for a season ticket for there beloved clubs. This nation, that already buys, on mass, replica shirts, hats, scarf's, sleeping bags, wallpaper, footballs, mugs and anything else you can fit the word Manchester United on for that matter. What about this nations opinion?

Maybe if these games were scheduled for Ibiza or Magaluf in the height of summer you could guarantee your fans the chance to see it, albeit with a hangover, because that's what the hard earning fan does when they plan a foreign excursion. Who wants to look a real Muppet in their Everton shirt shorts and socks combination accompanied by sandals, in the check-in queue at Gatwick for flight BA3-676, departing at 03:20 hours to Melbourne? No singing on the plane please sir!

Maybe we could get a League 1 game going in Oslo, or maybe take W.B.A. V's Wolves to Warsaw? Now that's set the pulses racing hasn't it. Forest could take on Yeovil in Athens for instance, although saying that, it probably takes less actual travelling time playing the game that way.

Why, oh why do the Premier league think that the loyal supporter wants to dig their hand in their pocket's one more time for the sake of promoting our beautiful game. Our games are already the most televised around the world as we speak so how does an oversized bean pole in a Liverpool jersey create more interest in his team by missing sitters in Buenos Aires rather than at Anfield, why will Michael Owen try any harder for Kevin Keegan's circus act after being stuck on a plane for 16hours? And why would Michael Ballack be worth £150,000 a week playing in Malaysia when he can't justify it at the Bridge?

Optimistically this injudicious scheme will pass and fail without much more interruption to the regular season. Sepp Blatter has stated that whilst he's in charge at the head of football governing body FIFA none of this will ever happen. That could well be the best thing Mr. Blatter has ever said or done for English teams. Rule Britannia.

Alan March.
Commentator for Visually Impaired Spectators at Nottingham Forest and Wembley Stadium.