Swansea City

Huw Jenkins: 'We must embrace Premier League games abroad'

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 08 October 2014

Swansea City chairman Huw Jenkins says that clubs such as his own must embrace Premier League fixtures being played abroad, or else they will be left behind.

Swansea City chairman Huw Jenkins believes that it is "inevitable" Premier League matches will be staged abroad within the next two years.

The concept of a 39th game being played in a foreign country first surfaced in 2008, although amid much backlash proposed talks soon disintegrated.

However, moves have been discussed by Premier League chairmen at a recent meeting, and Jenkins says that he is ready to embrace the major change should it go ahead.

"I think it is inevitable it is going to happen," the 51-year-old is quoted as saying by Wales Online. "While we may not be 100 per cent about it, as passionate football supporters just watching football as we have, it's going to be a big change.

"The other side of that is we have got to make sure we are on the bandwagon with them or we are going to get left behind otherwise. There's definitely going to be a run of games played abroad in 12 months or two years.

"It's a sad reflection of where football is but unless [Swansea] are part of that, it's inevitable we are going to fall behind. We have got to make sure, whether we like it or not, we are on board with it."

Jenkins was appointed as chairman of the Swans in 2002.