Beckenbauer warning for PL

Beckenbauer: England must appease Fifa

Also see

• Football on Sky
• Sky Sports experts
• Paper Talk

Franz Beckenbauer feels that implementing an international round of Premier League fixtures could damage England's 2018 World Cup bid.

Fifa president Sepp Blatter has already blasted the proposals and executive committee member Beckenbauer believes that if England have realistic ambitions of hosting football's biggest event in the future, then they need to ensure that they do nothing to upset the sport's governing body in the mean time.

The German legend admits that he can see the positives of taking top-flight football abroad but feels that it is an idea which is just not feasible at present.

Cocky

"If Fifa is against this idea to put Premier League games outside the country, I wouldn't do it," Beckenbauer said.

"The decision on who gets the World Cup 2018 will happen very soon and England are one of the favourites. At this time I wouldn't be so cocky as to go against Fifa.

"In this period if you want to be the World Cup hosts you have to get hand-in-hand with Fifa, otherwise you don't get the chance."

Practical

Beckenbauer did propose that in the future it may be possible to take one-off games such as the FA Cup final abroad, but admitted that even then he still has reservations about how such fixtures would be organised.

"It's a good idea that with important games such as the FA Cup final, instead of playing at Wembley play it in Beijing or in Shanghai or wherever.

"I think it's a good idea from the clubs. I realise from the comment of the Fifa president that he doesn't like it much.

"He realises these games disturb the market but it is great promotion for important games in the Premier League being played outside the country.

"The idea is not bad. But I don't know if it works. Manchester United and Arsenal have a lot of fans but how do they get to Sydney?

"It's a good idea to export your football but practically I don't know."

Controversial

One proposal currently being banded about that Beckenbauer is in favour of is that of the implementation of 'six-plus-five rule' to help curb the amount of foreign players currently plying their trade in Europe's top divisions.

He feels that it would definitely help young players to be given more of a chance at big clubs, but admits that it would be difficult to implement due to current European legislation.

"England is suffering because of the situation, (in) Germany it is the same," he said.

"In all the major leagues in Europe they have the same problem and the youngsters have problems getting through because most of the teams prefer to buy foreigners.

"It's cheaper and probably easier and then they are not patient enough to wait for a 16, 17, 18-year-old boy to get to the first team.

"It could be a good solution (the six-plus-five rule). It is very controversial. You can say we are living in a global world and the markets are open, and football tries to go back to the old status to reduce, to have a six-plus-five regulation instead of opening the market.

"That is one side, the other side is to save the whole market."