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From : http://www.espnstar.com/epl/epl_newsdetail_5809714.html
AFC president slams 'disrespectful' Man Utd

by Martin Parry

KUALA LUMPUR, May 7, 2007 (AFP) - AFC president Mohamed Bin Hammam on Monday launched a stinging attack on Manchester United, calling them "disrespectful" and demanding they cancel their Asian tour.

The pre-season commercial tour in July clashes with the Asian Cup finals, prompting bin Hamman to suggest the new Premier League champions put something back into Asian football instead of grabbing its money.

"Cancel your tour -- this is the message on behalf of the whole Asian football family, all our players, our coaches," he said in response to AFP questions on the sidelines of the Asian Football Confederation Congress here.

"It is disrespectful. This is not the solidarity we expect from the football family.

"We expect Manchester United to look for something more than money. Asia is giving them so much money during the on-season. One month every four years and they cannot spare it to not play in Asia?"

Bin Hammam fears the presence of Manchester United will divert attention away from the July 7-29 Asian Cup -- the region's flagship competition being co-hosted by Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.

The AFC is pinning hopes on the tournament sparking new interest in Asian football from Asian fans.

Last month United announced they would warm up for the 2007-2008 season with a tour that takes them to Japan, South Korea, Macau and Malaysia.

They plan to kick off against J-League champions Urawa Red Diamonds on July 17 in Saitama before travelling to the South Korean capital for a showdown with FC Seoul on July 20.

Alex Ferguson's team are then due to head to Macau for a match against Shenzhen on July 23, before ending the tour in Kuala Lumpur on July 27 against a Malaysian XI.

Bin Hamman said the Asian Cup dates were set by FIFA and each association hosting matches had signed guarantees not to promote or hold any other football games throughout July and for three days after the Cup concludes.

He suggested the Football Association of Malaysia could face disciplinary action but reserved his harshest criticism for United, who were handed the league title on Sunday when Chelsea could only manage a 1-1 draw with Arsenal.

"We are trying to encourage more spectators to watch Asian football but it looks like the people at Manchester want to fight this idea and corner this market," he said.

"Frankly, it is a colonial way of thinking. It is not fair play at all.

"We can prevent them playing in Malaysia but I don't want them to play in Korea, Japan or China either. They are welcome in June, they are welcome in August, but not in July."

He said he had been in touch with the Football Association as early as last September about the tour and had initially received assurances that it would not clash.

Bin Hammam added that he had the support of FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

"He is of the opinion that everybody must respect the calendar. It is simple," said bin Hammam.

Blatter is in Kuala Lumpur but was not immediately available for comment.

In another slap to the Red Devils, the AFC supremo pointed to their arch-rivals Chelsea as a team that was putting back into Asia.

"We have a very good example from Chelsea who have signed an agreement to develop football at the grassroots in Asia, That is a good example," he said.

In March, Chelsea signed a deal with the AFC to provide financial and technical support to mainly grassroots football clubs across China until 2010.

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From : http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...428565&cc=4716

Blatter calls on United to reschedule Asia tour

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has thrown his weight behind calls for Manchester United to look again at this summer's controversial tour of Asia.

The newly-crowned Premier League champions have caused uproar by scheduling their visit to the continent to coincide with the running of the quadrennial Asian Cup, which will be co-hosted by Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand in July.

Asian Football Confederation president Mohamed bin Hammam launched a scathing attack on the English champions yesterday and Blatter has backed demands for United to reconsider.

'The Asian Cup is on a date reserved for competitions for the confederations and they should also be respected by clubs who are touring in the same region where these competitions are taking place,' said the FIFA president.

'I would personally appeal to the club, to the associations, but also to the organisers in the different countries. We have an opportunity for solidarity for football.'

Malaysia is the last stop on United's jaunt on July 27, with the tour kicking off in Tokyo on July 17 followed by a stop in Seoul three days later and a match in Macau on July 20.

Those dates clash with the latter stages of the continental championship, which will feature all four co-hosts as well as defending champions Japan and nations such as China, South Korea and Iran among the 16 participants and runs from July 7-29.

As a result, the tour was not ratified by the AFC during their Congress in Kuala Lumpur.

The FIFA president has already been in contact with Football Association chairman Geoff Thompson and he hoped the Old Trafford club would reconsider.

'I had an opportunity to speak with him the other day when we met in Nyon and he said `I will work on that' but that it's not so easy because this was an invitation by the government (of Malaysia), not the federation,' said Blatter.

'But we have a structure in FIFA and I told the sports minister here in Kuala Lumpur yesterday that when you organise a tour you have to go through the national association. They have to ratify such a match. They have to inform the confederation.

'For the clubs, FIFA's okay is not necessary but I'm sure if such a case will be presented to the club, Manchester United, that the organisers of the tour will understand such a situation.'

The match was to form part of the country's celebrations of 50 years of Malaysian nationhood but Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, the president of the Football Association of Malaysia, conceded the game may not now go ahead.

'We have to abide by the ruling, I guess,' he said. 'That's the order of the day and we have to abide by that. If they want to come at that time they can't come. Now the sanction has not been given so we have to follow the ruling. They can't come during the Asian Cup, they have to rearrange.

'By the look of it, the Asian Cup will have to take precedent. This is bad news for the fans but this is the feeling of the family of Asia.'

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The pre-season commercial tour in July clashes with the Asian Cup finals, prompting bin Hamman to suggest the new Premier League champions put something back into Asian football instead of grabbing its money.

Bin Hammam fears the presence of Manchester United will divert attention away from the July 7-29 Asian Cup -- the region's flagship competition being co-hosted by Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.

Bin Hamman said the Asian Cup dates were set by FIFA and each association hosting matches had signed guarantees not to promote or hold any other football games throughout July and for three days after the Cup concludes.

"We can prevent them playing in Malaysia but I don't want them to play in Korea, Japan or China either. They are welcome in June, they are welcome in August, but not in July."

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