‘Did he really say it?’ Jurgen Klopp dismisses Todd Boehly’s Premier League all-star suggestion

The German is not impressed with the American billionaire’s ideas to revolutionise revenue streams for the Blues and Premier League clubs

(REUTERS)

Jurgen Klopp has dismissed Chelsea owner Todd Boehly’s suggestion that the Premier League should introduce an American-style all-star match.

Boehly has been discussing ways the Blues and other Premier League sides can increase revenue since taking over at Stamford Bridge this year, suggesting the league can “take a little bit of a lesson from American sports”.

But the Liverpool boss quickly laughed off the American billionaire’s ideas, pointing to an already crowded calendar and a condensed off season compared to the NBA, NFL and other American leagues.

“He doesn’t wait long,” Klopp said after the Reds beat Ajax in the Champions League. “Great. When he finds a date for that, he can call me. He forgets that in the big sports in America, these players have four-month breaks.

“It is completely different in football. What can I say? Does he want to bring the Harlem Globetrotters as well and let them play against a football team?

“I am surprised by the question so please don’t judge my answer too much. But maybe he can explain it to me at some point and find a proper date.

“Not sure people want to see that. Imagine that: Manchester United players, Liverpool players, Everton players altogether in one team.

“It is not a national team. North against south. That means north east [too], Newcastle... interesting game. And all the London guys together, Arsenal, Tottenham, great. Did he really say it? Interesting.”

Boehly, who was speaking in New York at the SALT Conference, has also floated the prospect of the bottom four sides playing off in a tournament to determine relegation.

“Ultimately I hope that the Premier League takes a little bit of a lesson from American sports and really starts to figure out why wouldn’t we do a tournament with the bottom four teams, why isn’t there an all-star game?” he said.

“People are talking about more money for the pyramid -- MLB [Major League Baseball] did their All-Star Game in L.A. this year, we made $200 million from a Monday and a Tuesday. You could do a north versus south all-star game for the Premier League to fund whatever the pyramid needed very easily.”