Audio By Carbonatix
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has claimed football has "sold its soul" to television companies.
He accepted the importance of the money TV rights brought, but said Premier League bosses must intervene to ensure fixture scheduling was fair to clubs.
The Frenchman said: "The Premier League has to make sure that there is a bit more fairness in the schedules."
All five of Arsenal's games during January have been moved for the television cameras.
"I don't believe the Premier League has played, in the last month or the last year, a very fair role in the distribution of the fixtures," Wenger said.
Live domestic rights to top-flight English games for 2010-13 raised a total of £1.782bn and Wenger accepts that alterations to schedules to suit television are now part of the game.
However, he believes the sport's governing body must do more to limit the influence television companies have.
"We have sold our soul and we do not control our fixtures any more," said Wenger.
"It is the truth and I cannot say the television is wrong, but it is not normal that you can have a direct influence on the schedule through the television."
Arsenal's two most recent fixtures - the Premier League defeat at Fulham and the victory against Leeds in the FA Cup - were switched to Monday evenings while forthcoming matches against Swansea and Manchester United will each be played on a Sunday.
And the Gunners' fourth-round FA Cup game with Aston Villa has been moved from Saturday 28 January to Sunday 29 January because ESPN want to show the game.
As a result, their Premier League fixture with Bolton the following Tuesday, which had been in the schedule since June, was moved to Wednesday.
Wenger added that the viewing schedules, which now run from Friday night to Monday evening, can have a direct influence on games, with some clubs advantaged at the expense of others.
"Television is influenced by some clubs to choose the fixtures. Some clubs get advantaged by television," added Wenger.
"Is it Sky or is it ESPN? They have an influence there from the clubs directly and the Premier League should be a much bigger barrier than they are in front of that.
"I do not want to go personal on any club. I just think, when things are repeated, they are not a coincidence any more.
"In England, it is always very difficult to say what you feel about that but, I am not the only manager who thinks that and I think there is a real problem."
Wenger's remarks echo to an extent those of Manchester United counterpart Sir Alex Ferguson, who complained in September that TV had too much control over the game.
But he conceded: "When you shake hands with the devil you have to pay the price."
The Premier League declined to comment.
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Tags:
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Latest Stories
-
The brewing tension at KNUST; Beware the Ides of October….
14 minutes -
Health Ministry moves to integrate traditional medicine into mainstream healthcare
37 minutes -
550 pupils in Kintampo South get educational lifeline as ‘Seeds of Hope’ reaches farming communities
58 minutes -
Opoku Mensah urges Christian Council, House of Chiefs to speak up on democratic freedoms
1 hour -
Teacher unions’ strike: Minority demands immediate payment of teacher arrears, 20% deprived area allowance
1 hour -
The Accra-Kumasi Expressway: Building it right
2 hours -
Beyond gold exports: Building value and economic resilience from Ghana’s gold
2 hours -
2027 AFCONQ: Ghana under pressure as Gambia beat Somalia 2-1
2 hours -
Eastern NPP Women’s Organiser calls on AG, Police to secure bail for Salomey Baffoe
2 hours -
Poverty, illiteracy driving acceptance of vote-buying among women – Damongo Queen Mother
2 hours -
Photos: Democracy Is Not For Sale forum in Savannah region
3 hours -
GNFS launches 2026/27 National Anti-Bushfire campaign in Atebubu, records 62.8% reduction in bushfire cases
3 hours -
I’ll vote for a female president; women are less likely to steal from the state – Okyeame Kwame
3 hours -
More public education needed to stop vote-buying – Savannah Region MP
3 hours -
Absa Bank commissions new head office, commits to strengthening operations in Ghana
3 hours