United - midweek overseas games as no CL football

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2773885/Manchester-United-consider-lucrative-overseas-friendlies-Champions-League-void.html

Let me get this right. United, with 10 players out injured are going to travel overseas, midweek, to try and make some more money...and still want to get a top 4 place for next season???

UEFA will be against this idea unless united split the proceeds with them.  I hope they go for the money and miss out on CL again and then sponsors leave. A team on the decline can only command top dollar for so long.

It wouldn't have anything to do with UEFA if they went to the far east would it?

UEFA won't let us play league games and even complained about untelevised league 1 and league 2 games. The FA paid them a 'solidarity payment' of £1.1M to smooth things over.

I can't see UEFA allowing United to affect their audience.

So, let's say this:

They play on a Saturday 3pm. By the time the game is over, they change, they get to MAN Airport it'll be 19:00. Check-in and take-off for a night flight to Singapore (as an example) at 21:00. They can sleep on the flight over and will have to.

The flight to Singapore is 14 hours, they are 7 hours ahead of GMT, so they land at 18:00 Singapore time on the Sunday.

They will probably train on the Monday and may even play on the Tuesday evening.

Catch a flight home on the Tuesday evening at 23:00 and land back at MAN at 06:00 Weds morning.

It's all great in theory, however, circadian rhythm has to be taken into account.

Our circadian resynchronisation is about one to one and half hours per day....which means, a time zone travel of 7 hours, will take up to 4 days to be back to our normal synchronisation. But they will be adjusting over a couple of days, then flying back to the UK -7 hours.

For a long flight like that, mid-week, will be seriously detrimental on their health and fitness.

Therefore, they won't be able to fly too far for these proposed games for this reason.

There's talk of matches in the middle east. The flight isn't so bad, maybe 6-7 hours. Time zone difference is 2-3 hours. I used to manage flying out on a Thursday evening and back on a Monday or Tuesday morning.

They will have their own plane and good facilities too. The far east is a step too far but middle east or eastern USA is definitely doable.

This isn't going to work in their favour whichever way you paint it.  Even discounting the jet lag and the spending valuable training time cooped up in a jet plane, they've got the issue of who they're going to field.

Common sense would suggest, play the second string / kids, but that won't pull many punters.  They'll want to see Di Maria and Falcao and RVP and Rooney.  So they'll either spend a fortune on flying sub level players over to play an empty stadium or they'll risk injuries to the players they've already spent a fortune on.  They'll either not make enough money to justify it, or they'll cripple their chances of CL football next season by tiring out or injuring their superstars.  And given they'll most likely be playing sides of a League 1 calibre, the odds are some of these stars will get the odd boot to the shin.

Oh, and this: http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/business/united-green-deal-abengoa-7853790

Not sure how regular mid haul flights fits in with their new green partner.  I'm sure they might take exception to the idea of burning several hundred gallons of kerosene for the sole purpose of making money.

Okay, now I've done my "Mr. Rational" piece, let's move on to the inner ABU...



Fucking desperados need the money and will risk even CL football for a swift dollar!  Oh, how the mighty have fallen!  £160 million to become as good as a relegation candidate etc etc...

*FACEPALM*

Club in turmoil? It's more a club stumbling to The Championship.   Now that would be funny.

But at least they will get a few £ for a few Asian friendlies though

Topdawg wrote:There's talk of matches in the middle east. The flight isn't so bad, maybe 6-7 hours. Time zone difference is 2-3 hours. I used to manage flying out on a Thursday evening and back on a Monday or Tuesday morning.

They will have their own plane and good facilities too. The far east is a step too far but middle east or eastern USA is definitely doable.

You weren't playing professional football twice a week Dawg... These players have to train and play.

2-3 hours time diff, still means 2 days to bring your circadian synchronisation back to normal...not so bad if you're a holiday maker or there on business, but for professional sportsmen, that ain't great. That's why these long trips in the CL to Russia etc, take it out physically on players, even if they have great hotels etc...it's the subtle changes in body temperature, food intake, bowel movements....that's what effects the body.

It's not all about having a great aircraft and comfy seats, your circadian rhythm relies on Zeitgebers...and you don't get them naturally in an aircraft for 7 hours for either journey.

Carlos Tevez managed it. And I move more than Yaya or Dzeko...

Carlos Tevez managed it. And I move more than Yaya or Dzeko...