Plans to play a 39th round of Premier League games overseas aare in tatters, says Reading chairman John Madejski.
Premier League boss Richard Scudamore has said that the proposal had the backing of all 20 clubs, but Madejski said the league should have done “more consultation” before announcing the plan.
“If he had approached some of the governing bodies before announcing his plans, we would have moved forward on it. Now it’s in tatters,” he told BBC Sport
“It’s already been consigned to the trash bin. I don’t think it’s going to grow legs now. There are too many people against it.
“It’s great Richard has come up with an idea like this, and I hope he brings out a few more, but this one is obviously not going to happen.
“It does have merit, though, but rather it should be an exhibition game rather than a league game because it is good for the Premier League to be exported abroad.”
Earlier this month, Madejski had told BBC Radio Berkshire he “didn’t have a problem with” the plans, saying that it was “common sense that teams should do one match abroad every year.
“We have to be very careful. We should cherish the Premier League we have and do everything we can to sustain it,” Madejski added.
“It’s nothing to do with money, it’s being able to deliver the Premier League on the doorstep of countries that hitherto have never seen it.
“Obviously, what I am concerned about is that when all is said and done, the Premier League is run by the top five clubs. We’re just the also-rans.
“You can see it’s all tied up, and I do believe there is a sort of pact there, but if it’s not broken, why fix it?
“To get this galaxy of talent playing on our shores, come on, this is fantastic.
“If it does mean playing an exhibition game every season abroad, so be it, and I think we should.”
