By Matt Fortune
Arsène Wenger believes that the '39th game' should
not be dismissed too hastily.
Admitting he wasn't himself 'fanatical' about the idea,
the Frenchman did stress that the suggestion should be fully
analysed before any official decision is made.
Fifa President Sepp Blatter became the latest figure in the game to
condemn the plans set out by the Premier League, claiming it would
never happen while he remains at the helm of the football's
governing body.
Wenger insists that a more open mind is required.
"I don't want to be a fanatic for the idea," said the
Frenchman. "It is difficult to understand that so much
resistance comes out for a new idea without really looking why.
"Of course everybody is against it at the moment and perhaps
the idea will die. It looks to be a little early to be against it
because nobody has analysed it deeper.
"When I went to Japan in 1995, we had to play 20 per cent
of our home games on a neutral ground to promote football because
the league had been created two years before.
"I thought it was crazy, why, because I was raised in Europe
were you play all your home games at home.
"Finally it worked extremely well, everywhere was sold out and
it was no major problem."
The Arsenal manager also threw some of his weight behind the
Premier League's proposal.
"There are two things I like about it," said the
Frenchman. "First is that there is a desire to innovate and be
the strongest league in the world. The second is that it is doing
something for the fans that live abroad.
"I like innovation, I like the fact people want to see how
people look to be stronger and we have created a fan base across
the world and it is nice to give something back.
"People see only money it, that is not good but, to be fair,
without money you go nowhere in the modern world. If you want the
best players in the world you need more money."
