Europe’s top clubs warn over international friendlies

EUROPE’S leading clubs are threatening to refuse to release players for long-distance international friendlies as the ill feeling over Brazil’s friendly in China next week intensifies.

The G14 clubs including Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool are furious at losing key players to meaningless friendlies, and in the Gunners' case they face being without their Brazilian midfielder Gilberto Silva for the FA Cup fifth round match against Alex Ferguson's side.

In a determined show of strength, the G14 group has written a forceful letter of objection to FIFA in which they have warned they may take unilateral action and not release players for friendlies in other continents.

Speaking after G14's meeting in Madrid, Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein claimed Brazil's match in China is purely a money-spinner for the Brazilian FA. He said: "A robust letter on behalf of G14 will be sent to FIFA complaining about Brazilian players based in Europe going to China in the heart of our season.

"It's only now the clubs are beginning to flex their muscles and say enough is enough.

"The friendly will mean that Gilberto will almost certainly not be available for our match against Manchester United as he only gets back the night before.

"The match is clearly not being played for sporting reasons but for financial gain."

The objection will be too late to prevent Brazil summoning Gilberto plus stars such as Real Madrid's Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos for their friendly in China, which has been authorised by FIFA.

However, G14's chief executive Thomas Kurth said a warning had been sounded for the future.

He said: "We now want to really alarm FIFA because it is very unfair. We will not withdraw players from the game in China but if in the future there is a game taking place in another continent in similar circumstances we may not release them."

Dein said G14 would also object to FIFA about the Confederations Cup taking place in France at the end of the season, involving the champions of each world region: France, Brazil, Cameroon, New Zealand, USA, Colombia, Japan, Turkey.

He added: "It means our French players and others could be involved until the end of June after a hard domestic season and then be expected to return when pre-season begins in the second week of July. It's ridiculous.

"They are finely-tuned athletes and you cannot run them into the ground and there will be another letter of objection regarding the Confederations Cup going to FIFA."

Manchester United chief executive Peter Kenyon and Liverpool counterpart Rick Parry were also at the meeting, and echoed Dein's sentiments.

Kenyon said: "The calendar is increasingly becoming more crowded and we have a duty to our clubs, our fans and our players, and it was a consensus that enough is enough and we have to address the issue," he said.

With such a mood among the 18 leading European clubs three from Spain, Italy, England, Germany, and France plus two from Holland and one from Portugal it was hardly surprisingly two other tournaments mooted for the future were given short shrift.

One was the Golden Cup, the brainchild of a Spanish entrepreneur, which would involve the cream of European clubs in a league running alongside the Champions League, and the other was FIFA's World Club Championship which may be staged in 2005.

Both were opposed by G14, who confirmed they will continue working towards a scheme among member clubs to limit total wages to 70% of turnover.