Football Association urges Premier League clubs to give England a World Cup …

Such is the global allure of the Premier League that clubs will be asked again

to send teams around the world.

City and Chelsea played two games in the US late last May, in St Louis and New

York, attracting 87,725 and an avalanche of positive headlines.

Spurs played a well-received friendly against Jamaica in Nassau, Bahamas on

May 24.

The post-season tour is returning, echoing the days when the FA

Cup winners would take on the League champions somewhere exotic and

financially rewarding.

Faced with escalating player wages and transfer fees, Premier League clubs

will inevitably look at ways of raising revenue. In their defence, the elite

clubs can point to France’s Ligue 1 ending on May 17, and La Liga and Serie

A concluding on May 18. (The Bundesliga ends on May 10.)

Some leading English clubs may be involved in the FA Cup final of May 17 after

the FA won its battle to move the season’s one-time showpiece occasion away

from the shadows of the Premier League season.

During negotiations with the FA, clubs could argue that the FA has extended

the domestic season and point to their possible involvement in the finals of

the Europa

League on May 14 and Champions

League of May 24.

If English players are involved in the climax of the European season in

Lisbon, they face a quick turnaround to be ready for England’s last Wembley

friendly.

Hodgson’s counterparts at other national teams also face this issue.

Having used 25 players in the losses to Chile and Germany, Hodgson indicated

that he would experiment again in the March 5 date with Denmark at Wembley,

England’s final friendly before he names his 30-man provisional squad.

“I might risk a third defeat, but for the game against Denmark, it might be

that we actually use players that we need to test out more and that we rest

the players who we are 100 per cent certain of,” said Hodgson.

“That’s a possibility. It’s more likely than us going into that game, with

just one and a half days’ preparation thinking: ‘Let’s get our best XI out

on the field.’ That might not give me the answers I want for the squad.”

This would give hope to the uncapped Ravel Morrison and Saido Berahino.

Nathaniel Clyne has been impressing for Southampton, and has been scouted by

Hodgson, but the squad is full of right-backs. The real area for a late run

is at centre-half and Steven Caulker, already capped and doing well at

Cardiff City, is a contender.

Hodgson has talked positively about the Wigan

Athletic winger, Callum McManaman, who could make a late push after

slowly recovering from an ankle injury.

“It would give anybody a boost if the national manager mentions your name but

Callum’s focus has to be Wigan,’’ said his club manager, Owen Coyle.

“If he continues to play well here there will certainly be more than the

national manager being complimentary about him.’’

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