European clubs always welcome in Asia says AFC boss
By マイク Collett
MANAMA, May 2 (Reuters) - Visits by major English and European clubs to Asia are helping to 上げる the game in the 地域 rather than 害（を与える）ing it, Alex Soosay, the general 長官 of the Asian Football 連合, told Reuters.
Last week fans in Malaysia called for a ボイコット（する） of this month's 小旅行する matches 伴う／関わるing Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur because they were nothing more than "circus games" detracting from their own 国内の league games.
But Soosay said the visits were of 抱擁する 利益 to Asian football as they gave fans the chance to see some of the world's best players while the clubs helped 上げる the 地元の leagues with their 専門的知識, かかわり合い and 支援.
He said they 与える／捧げるd to Asian サッカー with coaching clinics, and by 基金ing the building of pitches and other 施設s.
"Look for example, at our 関係 with Chelsea. They have 調印するd a Memorandum of Understanding with us and it 追加するs value to the AFC," Soosay told Reuters.
"They come to our countries, build pitches -- Chelsea build blue pitches -- and those pitches are very helpful for the 開発 of our youngsters.
"We work very closely with the English 首相 League who have been very supportive of us and help the kids with their 首相 技術s programme."
Over the last １０年間 many 主要な European clubs have gone to Asia either at the end of the season or on pre-season t ours where they have 抱擁する fan bases, and Soosay welcomes more interaction between the clubs and the Asian 連合s.
"They have travelled to Indonesia, to Malaysia, to 中国, where football is really taking off.
"If you go to 中国 you hear 'Chelsea, Chelsea'. If you go to Malaysia you hear 'Manchester, Manchester'. This 肉親，親類d of 利益／興味 is very encouraging, not only to those ardent 信奉者s but also for the children."
He said he 同意しないd with those 支持者s who 手配中の，お尋ね者 to ボイコット（する） the games in his own country, Malaysia.
"There is 広大な／多数の／重要な 人気 (for the visiting clubs) and that's important. I don't believe that this 人気 will 影響 in any way or 損失 in any way the 国内の leagues, it can only encourage them," he 追加するd. (Editing by Pritha Sarkar)
