Chelsea's Asian Summer

[EskWeston 696]

Chelsea Football Club has announced a tour to Asia this summer in preparation for next season.

Chief executive Peter Kenyon confirmed the Samsung-Chelsea Asia Tour 2008 at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, earlier today (Thursday).

Chelsea will take on a Malaysian Selection, an all-star team of the best players from the Malaysian Super League, in a game currently scheduled for July 29 in Kuala Lumpur.

The venue for an earlier match, which will be in another Asian country, will be announced tomorrow.

Kenyon said: 'I am delighted that we are coming to Asia where we have a lot of support and now we can give our fans in this region the opportunity to see us play.

'Asia is a very important region for world football. The development of football here is making great progress and a strong Asia can only be good for the game globally.

'I would like to thank the Asian Football Confederation and the Malaysian FA for their invitation to play here in Kuala Lumpur and we were obviously very happy to accept. Together with our sponsors Samsung and adidas we will be working hard to put on a great show for the fans and also continue our efforts to help promote Asian football from top level to grass roots.'

Chelsea has built a number of significant relationships in the region recently.

Last year we became the first major club to sign a partnership with the Asian Football Confederation as the Official Football Development Partner of the confederation's Vision China grass roots project, a key part of the larger Vision Asia programme.

So far Chelsea has helped launch four of the planned 10 Vision China city leagues, in Chengdu, Nanjing, Wuhan and Qingdao and another is coming soon in Zibo.

We have also agreed to be the exclusive football club partner of a grass roots talent search in southern China.

The Super Soccer Star television show will be broadcast in the province of Guangdong in April with the four finalists destined to visit our world renowned Academy and Stamford Bridge later in the summer.

The club is also a sponsor of the International Football Arena Beijing, the leading independent forum for debate amongst the game's leading figures and has also had preliminary discussions with All India Football Federation about exploring ways of working together.

The tour will be the first time Chelsea has played in Asia since May 2005 when the opponents were the Suwon Bluewings, the K League team owned by sponsors Samsung.

We also took part in the FA Premier League Asia Cup in Kuala Lumpur in the summer of 2003.

The game in Malaysia will be shown live on Chelsea TV in the UK.

Source: Chelsea FC

[Slugger O'Toole 0]

I remember when we used to play pre season friendlies against Harrow Boro, QPR and Northwood....used to be really good to see Chels play locally and it gave something back to the local community. Now it's all about money.

[EskWeston 696]

I remember when we used to play pre season friendlies against Harrow Boro, QPR and Northwood....used to be really good to see Chels play locally and it gave something back to the local community. Now it's all about money.

Lol, yes there is the money factor. But it isn't much of a pre season warm up to go out and smash a team of amatuers!!!

[BlueLion. 21,491]

I have to disagree with you there, Esk. Whilst it's all good going and playing against good players and teams, playing against some poor teams that you know you are going to crush 5-0 will offer players confidence. Scoring goals is the biggest possible morale booster, and its imperative to get the players fired up. I think a pre-season of three games in Asia and three games at home to lower league opposition would be an excellent way of obtaining early season form.

Just my opinion.

[the wes 7,212]

Chelsea will play a Malaysian all-star team in Kuala Lumpur in July as part of a two-match Asian tour.

The London club will play a side comprised of the best players from the Malaysian Super League on July 29 and details of the second Asian match will be announced later today.

Chelsea are confident manager Avram Grant and defender Tal Ben-Haim, both Israeli, would be given special dispensation to enter Malaysia, which does not currently have formal diplomatic relations with Israel.

"There are precedents and we do not anticipate any problems so we will continue the dialogue with the Malaysian Government, through our representatives, and they have been very welcoming and helpful thus far,'' said chief executive Peter Kenyon, who pointed out that the Israeli cricket team were allowed to participate in the 1997 International Cricket Council Trophy.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,2...57-2883,00.html

[port 0]

whereever we go... don't bring him...

[the wes 7,212]

Chelsea are to play their first ever match in China in Guangzhou in July, the English Premier League club announced on Friday.

Chief Executive Peter Kenyon confirmed that the city in the south of China would host the opening match of the club's pre-season Asian tour, with Chinese Super League team Guangzhou Pharmaceutical the opposition.

The match will be played in the Olympic Stadium, the venue for the 2010 Asian Games, and is currently scheduled for July 23.

Kenyon said: "I am delighted that we are coming to China, and particularly to Guangzhou, for the first time. We have a lot of support there and now we can give our Chinese fans the opportunity to see us play."

[Elliott 7]

Guangzhou Pharmaceutical? They going to be on crack then?