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Jurgen Klopp laughed off the idea put forward by Chelsea owner Todd Boehly to host a Premier League All Star game between the north and south, as you can see in the video below.
New Chelsea owner Boehly, who's only been involved with football since earlier in the summer, put his idea forward on Tuesday, suggesting the Premier League learn from American sports.
The LA Dodgers' owner wants the Premier League to create a North vs South All Star game, like the NBA, NFL and NHL all have a version of.
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Boehly even suggested the money made by such a game go to teams further down the football pyramid, as if the reason the Premier League doesn't give more is lack of funds.
However, despite his idea attracting some interest, Klopp is definitely not a huge fan of the idea, laughing it off, questioning if Boehly also wants the Harlem Globetrotters to join them and then asking if Bohely 'really said that.'
"He doesn’t hesitate, he doesn’t wait long! Oh great!" the Liverpool boss said in his post match press conference following his side's late win against Ajax.
“When he finds a date for that he can call me! He forgets that in the big sports in America these players have four-month breaks so they’re quite happy to do a little bit of sport in these breaks.
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“It’s completely different in football.
“What can I say? Does he want to bring the Harlem Globetrotters as well and let them play against a football team?
“I’m surprised by the question so please don’t judge my answers too much but maybe he can explain it to me at some point and find a proper date [for the match].
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"I’m not sure too many people want to see that. Imagine that – Manchester United players, Liverpool players and Everton players all together in one team. It’s not a national team.
"Interesting game… and all the London guys together. Arsenal and Tottenham… did he really say that? Interesting…”
As Klopp points out, the games are much easier to include in American sports, with their seasons being shorter and season specific, making it easier to find time for the game.
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Taking this season as an example, clubs are only finishing for a week before the World Cup starts and there's another week break after it finishes before the Premier League restarts.
The other aspect that makes the concept easier in the US is their conference set up, which makes picking the teams pretty simple.
In the Premier League the Midlands clubs wouldn't have a home in a North vs South split, and relegation and promotion would mean that the 10 most northern and southern clubs changes every year and could end up with Midlands clubs being split and ping ponged around north and south teams.
Boehly's suggestion of a four team relegation tournament seems to have gone slightly more unnoticed, but would likely prove just as unpopular.
Topics: Chelsea, Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp, Todd Boehly, Premier League
Ryan Sidle