LONDON, Feb 16: The Football Association (FA), the national governing body for the sport in England, on Saturday became the latest organisation to criticise plans by the English Premier League (EPL) to play competitive matches overseas.

Just a day after Sepp Blatter, the president of global governing body FIFA, vowed to torpedo the plans and said they could have a negative impact upon England’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup the FA expressed “serious reservations” about the scheme.In a statement, the FA stressed it had not hid anything from FIFA, making it clear they had been largely kept in the dark by the EPL.

“We explained that while we had received a verbal summary on the subject, at this time we are not in possession of any detailed proposals from the Premier League to pass on to FIFA,” the FA said.

“It was also made clear to FIFA that the FA has some serious reservations about the proposal.

The statement added: “We also do not want the Premier League’s proposal to affect England’s 2018 World Cup bid in any way.”

FA chairman Lord David Triesman said: “I am determined that our international and domestic relations must be sustained at the highest level, and I will not countenance any damage to those relations.”The Premier League announced last week it was considering plans to extend the season to 39 games with the extra matches taking place in five cities overseas, starting in 2011.

But the idea has met with resistance from fans in England, the British media and football federations in Asia and Australia, as well as Blatter.

However, a Premier League spokesman quoted by the London Evening Standard said Blatter’s comments had come as no surprise, adding a meeting between the Swiss and EPL chief executive Richard Scudamore was expected soon.

“This was always the starting point in relation to the issue of sanction for the proposed international round.

“We look forward to the opportunity to meet with FIFA in order to discuss this matter in full.”

Earlier Friday, Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez became the first coach of one of the Premier League’s so-called ‘big four’, which also includes Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea, to offer clear opposition to proposals to play matches overseas.

Benitez said both he and Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry believed the concept to extend the season to 39 games from 2010-11 was flawed.

“I don’t like it,” the Spaniard told the Times newspaper.

“I think to play another game in another country is not right for this competition. You must play here in England with the same opportunities for everyone.”

The draft proposal, which all 20 Premier League clubs have voted to consider, could see the top-five teams from the previous season seeded to avoid one another.

Benitez, whose side would be expected to be one of those seeds, dismissed the plan as inherently unfair.

“The seeding idea is the reason I don’t like it,” he said. “It’s important to give everyone the same opportunities.

“If it’s just about money, you can organise a tournament in Hong Kong with the top four if you want and you’ll have the money that you want, but to change the competition in this way is not fair.

“It’s not a good idea and I don’t think it’s a solution for anyone.”—AFP