“On the one hand, quality football on show in the United States will further the interest of the public at large in football.
“The commercial side of the coin is probably the relevant one for the clubs who sacrifice a few weeks of their pre-season summer-break period to expose their top players to the stress of travel and physical burden.
“But it is the latter point which renders their criticism a bit hollow, when they resort to statements like, ‘We don’t want our top players to play international friendlies because there is too much risk of injury and physical exhaustion involved’.
“The clubs are willing to expose their players to exhibition tournaments for the sake of generating income and gaining a position as a marketable international brand.
“One wonders therefore, why what is good for the goose, is not good for the gander.”
