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Manchester United told: Stay away in July
KUALA LUMPUR: The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) wants English Premier League champions Manchester United to cancel its summer tour of Asia – an event expected to be a huge crowd puller.
United’s four-game tour in July clashes with the Asian Cup.
AFC president Mohammed bin Hammam told the BBC that while the confederation welcomed visits from high-profile clubs like United, “what we don’t need is competition with us in the same market”.
United’s tour starts in Tokyo on July 17 and takes in Seoul and Macau before finishing in Malaysia on July 27. Macau has been heavily promoting the fixture.
Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand are co-hosting the Asian Cup, from July 7-29.
Hammam said the confederation chose not to play the competition in January – one of two windows in the global calendar offered to the AFC by Fifa – so as not to take players away from their clubs during the European season.
“They shouldn’t be coming in July,” added Hammam. “They are welcome in June, they are welcome in August, they are welcome in January or February but not in July.
“We did not organise our competition in March, April or February when their league is very busy and there are some players from Asia playing in those leagues.
“We expect Manchester United to look for more than money.”
One of Manchester United’s sponsors is Malaysia’s budget carrier, Air Asia.
Ian Jarrett
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