Clubs jet off to make money and influence people

LONDON, July 31 (Reuters) Real Madrid's players have been called many things in their time, but Steve McManaman was probably the first to describe them as a ''troop of performing seals''.

McManaman, a member of that troop himself, used the phrase to sum up Real's pre-season tour of Asia in 2003, a taxing itinerary that included five different destinations.

Recounting the trip in his book El Macca, he described it as a ''circus'', a triumph of commercialism over sporting interests that the players suffered for when the real business of winning trophies began.

Four years on, however, Real's much-criticised tour seems to have become a model for other clubs to follow, especially those in the English Premier League.

Only three teams -- Newcastle United, West Ham United and Wigan Athletic -- chose to spend the pre-season on home soil with every other club decamping abroad for part of their warm-up schedule.

Champions Manchester United have got closest to the Madrid template, visiting Japan, South Korea and China in a five-match programme that concluded with a 3-0 win against Guangzhou Pharmaceutical on Friday.

Save for a 2-2 draw with Urawa Reds, they wracked up a series of easy victories while also undertaking promotional activities in a region where they have a huge number of supporters. A Mori survey in 2003 said the club had 23 million fans in China alone.

LUCRATIVE REGION Countering critics of the tour, manager Alex Ferguson said that it was ''not just about us taking, we also give'', citing visits to a school for the blind, a hospital and soccer skills classes for young players.

However, Asia is the most lucrative region for the Premier League to sell its TV rights and clubs are keen to exploit potential fan bases there.

Hence the presence of Liverpool, Fulham and Portsmouth competing in the third Premier League Asia Trophy in Hong Kong -- which also finished on Friday with Portsmouth beating Liverpool in the final on penalties.

Meanwhile, two other Premier League sides -- Bolton Wanderers and Reading -- competed in the Peace Cup in Seoul, Bolton missing out on the LONDON, July 31 (Reuters) Real Madrid's players have been called many things in their time, but Steve McManaman was probably the first to describe them as a ''troop of performing seals''.

McManaman, a member of that troop himself, used the phrase to sum up Real's pre-season tour of Asia in 2003, a taxing itinerary that included five different destinations.

Recounting the trip in his book El Macca, he described it as a ''circus'', a triumph of commercialism over sporting interests that the players suffered for when the real business of winning trophies began.

Four years on, however, Real's much-criticised tour seems to have become a model for other clubs to follow, especially those in the English Premier League.

Only three teams -- Newcastle United, West Ham United and Wigan Athletic -- chose to spend the pre-season on home soil with every other club decamping abroad for part of their warm-up schedule.

Champions Manchester United have got closest to the Madrid template, visiting Japan, South Korea and China in a five-match programme that concluded with a 3-0 win against Guangzhou Pharmaceutical on Friday.

Save for a 2-2 draw with Urawa Reds, they wracked up a series of easy victories while also undertaking promotional activities in a region where they have a huge number of supporters. A Mori survey in 2003 said the club had 23 million fans in China alone.

LUCRATIVE REGION Countering critics of the tour, manager Alex Ferguson said that it was ''not just about us taking, we also give'', citing visits to a school for the blind, a hospital and soccer skills classes for young players.

However, Asia is the most lucrative region for the Premier League to sell its TV rights and clubs are keen to exploit potential fan bases there.

Hence the presence of Liverpool, Fulham and Portsmouth competing in the third Premier League Asia Trophy in Hong Kong -- which also finished on Friday with Portsmouth beating Liverpool in the final on penalties.

Meanwhile, two other Premier League sides -- Bolton Wanderers and Reading -- competed in the Peace Cup in Seoul, Bolton missing out on the $2 million prize money by losing the final to Olympique Lyon.

Tottenham Hotspur played and won a tournament in South Africa against Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates -- at the same time boosting their presence in a country where they are involved in providing homes for children.

Another popular destination is North America which has attracted Aston Villa, Everton and, most prominently, Chelsea.

The London club's stay in California featured three matches, including one against David Beckham's LA Galaxy.

Naturally Jose Mourinho and his men were not there for the Californian sunshine and if McManaman once complained that ''the Disneyfication of Real Madrid had gone too far'', he might want to know that Chelsea have taken it even further.

When Chelsea director Paul Smith enthused to British reporters ahead of the opening tour game against Club America that ''the partnership is ground-breaking'', he was not discussing a new-look pairing in central midfield but a four-year deal as the ''official professional soccer club'' of the Walt Disney Company.

WORLDWIDE APPEAL Chelsea's aim is to enhance the club's appeal worldwide and their strategy will involve visiting North America and China in alternate years, with trips to New York and Chicago lined up already for 2009 and 2011.

As well as going to the States, they have also played in the Netherlands and Scotland.

The pre-season schedules of old -- lung-busting runs along sand dunes or cross country runs through woodland or along country lanes, followed by a handful of low-profile games against unsung local opponents are now generally a thing of the past for the major clubs.

Even for those clubs who opt to remain in Europe, there are spotlight-grabbing games to attract big crowds -- not to mention sponsors and television companies.

Last weekend Arsenal, Paris St Germain, Inter Milan and Valencia took part in the Emirates Cup at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium.

Next Arsene Wenger's men will travel to the Netherlands to face Lazio and Ajax in the Amsterdam tournament.

While so many Premier League clubs have been busy training abroad, Barcelona chose Scotland for a short pre-season camp.

While the Catalan club are escaping the heat of the Spanish summer, their friendly opponents seized not-to-be-missed opportunities.

Barcelona's match at Dundee United had been sold out for months while Heart of Midlothian attracted their biggest ever audience for a home match when they played Ronaldinho and company at Murrayfield rugby stadium in Edinburgh on Saturday in front of almost 58,000 fans.

After all this excitement, the new season could come as a bit of a disappointment.

Reuters SAM VP0730 million prize money by losing the final to Olympique Lyon.

Tottenham Hotspur played and won a tournament in South Africa against Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates -- at the same time boosting their presence in a country where they are involved in providing homes for children.

Another popular destination is North America which has attracted Aston Villa, Everton and, most prominently, Chelsea.

The London club's stay in California featured three matches, including one against David Beckham's LA Galaxy.

Naturally Jose Mourinho and his men were not there for the Californian sunshine and if McManaman once complained that ''the Disneyfication of Real Madrid had gone too far'', he might want to know that Chelsea have taken it even further.

When Chelsea director Paul Smith enthused to British reporters ahead of the opening tour game against Club America that ''the partnership is ground-breaking'', he was not discussing a new-look pairing in central midfield but a four-year deal as the ''official professional soccer club'' of the Walt Disney Company.

WORLDWIDE APPEAL Chelsea's aim is to enhance the club's appeal worldwide and their strategy will involve visiting North America and China in alternate years, with trips to New York and Chicago lined up already for 2009 and 2011.

As well as going to the States, they have also played in the Netherlands and Scotland.

The pre-season schedules of old -- lung-busting runs along sand dunes or cross country runs through woodland or along country lanes, followed by a handful of low-profile games against unsung local opponents are now generally a thing of the past for the major clubs.

Even for those clubs who opt to remain in Europe, there are spotlight-grabbing games to attract big crowds -- not to mention sponsors and television companies.

Last weekend Arsenal, Paris St Germain, Inter Milan and Valencia took part in the Emirates Cup at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium.

Next Arsene Wenger's men will travel to the Netherlands to face Lazio and Ajax in the Amsterdam tournament.

While so many Premier League clubs have been busy training abroad, Barcelona chose Scotland for a short pre-season camp.

While the Catalan club are escaping the heat of the Spanish summer, their friendly opponents seized not-to-be-missed opportunities.

Barcelona's match at Dundee United had been sold out for months while Heart of Midlothian attracted their biggest ever audience for a home match when they played Ronaldinho and company at Murrayfield rugby stadium in Edinburgh on Saturday in front of almost 58,000 fans.

After all this excitement, the new season could come as a bit of a disappointment.

Reuters SAM VP0730