Whilst Scudamore's plans have stalled at the first hurdle, friendly matches between English sides in far flung countries are by no means a new idea and it looks likely that the trend is set to continue. Having already qualified for the UEFA Cup, Ramos and Daniel Levy are free to begin preparations for the club's pre-season, both in terms of lucrative friendlies and transfer acquisitions.
Despite the obvious financial motivations behind plans for club to hold a 39th match in venues around the world and the fact that the proposal is yet another kick in the teeth the ordinary fan, few supporters would want to see their club fall behind if the idea eventually gets off the ground. So it is with a sense of optimism and dread that I greet the news that we are attempting to get our foot in the door as early as possible.
That said the club would most immediately benefit from a new training facility and, most importantly, a new stadium. With such a strong English based support the club must first decide on a plan that expands capacity by at least 15,000, either by expanding White Hart Lane or building from the ground up elsewhere. It would be quite ridiculous to make progress in increasing our worldwide fan base when the club haven't taken the same steps at home.