Premier League chairman Dave Richards is 'distraught' over his comments that the England team are being harmed by foreigners in the top flight.Richards' comments appeared to contradict the view of Richard Scudamore, who once again insisted that England's failure to qualify for Euro 2008 had nothing to do with the recent influx of overseas stars.

Scudamore, speaking at the 2008 Sport Industry Interview at Bloomberg in London, also claimed that his desire for an extra game in the Premier League season, the so-called '39th step' would happen within his lifetime.

But Scudamore was hardly protective of Richards who aired his views when speaking at the Third Dubai International Sports Conference, held in the United Arab Emirates at the end of May.

"It is appalling that we are not at Euro 2008," said Scudamore. "November 21 was a horrible night.

"At 2-2 against Croatia we had done what we had to do. But there is only so much the Premier League can be held responsible for.

"I would absolutely refute that the Premier League cost Steve McClaren his job.

"There are 220 international players eligible for England and we've just played a Champions League final where 10 players were English.

"There is no point in me standing up and trying to apologise for what Dave has said. He is distraught."

Scudamore's hopes of introducing an extra game into the Barclays League calendar appear to have been placed on the back burner for the time being.

The game was planned to take place abroad at some point but Scudamore has already widened the terms of the plan.

"Within my lifetime, it will happen," he said. "It will be meaningful matches - either cups or for points, it will happen abroad.

"It is a strategic blend that enables the Premier League clubs, whoever their membership might be at any given time, to capture the exciting challenge and prospects of the globalisation of sport.

"Something will happen, whether it's in its original form, I don't know, but something will happen, I hope, within my working life within the Premier League.

"Sport is going global, football is the number one recognised global sport.

"We in the Premier League believe we are in a great place to capitalise on that, because we believe we produce a product that people like across the world.

"I don't want to be sitting here in 10 years when the Premier League has just become the fifth league in Europe, having watched three or four others pass us by in the fast lane, while we dawdle along on the inside lane. I would be very disappointed if that happens."

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