Nix's to Play in US - If they can win A-League

AN ANNUAL tournament involving clubs from Australia, Japan and the United States will be launched in Hawaii next February, with Football Federation Australia admitting it hopes to host the event in the near future.

The Pan-Pacific championship is expected to be unveiled in the next fortnight - possibly to coincide with Sydney FC's high-profile exhibition match against Los Angeles Galaxy at Telstra Stadium on November 27.

The Pan-Pacific championship will involve two American clubs, one A-League club, and the winners of Japan's Nabisco Cup. The event is being underwritten by Major League Soccer [MLS]. The LA Galaxy are guaranteed their place on an annual basis; Gamba Osaka will represent Japan next year after winning the Nabisco Cup at the weekend.

The other two spots will go to the MLS champions [to be decided later this month] and the A-League champions, although for the inaugural event the FFA will send the losers of this season's preliminary final because the grand final [which decides the championship] has been delayed to accommodate the start of the Socceroos' World Cup campaign.

Prizemoney will be paid to three of the four teams, but all teams will have their expenses covered. The inaugural tournament will be played between February 21-23 - a timeslot that will enable A-League clubs that qualify for the Asian Champions League to still compete. Ultimately, Mexican clubs are expected to be invited to increase the marketability and profile of the competition.

"It's an idea that's been discussed for several months, and we're very pleased that it's going ahead," said FFA's chief commercial officer, John O'Sullivan.

"We see it as furthering our relationship with MLS, and giving our clubs important international competition. The prizemoney has yet to be decided, and at the start we're probably not talking millions of dollars. But down the track we think this could be quite a lucrative event, and it's something we definitely would like to host sooner rather than later."

Meanwhile, FFA chief executive Ben Buckley says the governing body will be "asking a lot of questions" about the partnership between Perth Glory and English Premier League side Manchester City unveiled by Glory co-owner John Spence at the weekend.

Spence announced that Perth Glory will be the Australian representatives in a "worldwide alliance" of academies that City expect to announce in Thailand later this year. Coaching exchanges and possible player swaps are also on the table, but the details remain sketchy.

"We believe this type of deal will greatly help the club and allow us to do some very exciting things, said Spence.

The FFA has not ruled against the deal, but Buckley said: "We don't have a lot of detail, and we will certainly be asking a lot of questions of the club. If it is something to assist player development, and would involve Manchester City coming here to play games, maybe it's a positive.

"But if there is any equity arrangements, we would want to look very closely at that. We do have rules regarding foreign ownership of our clubs, and at the end of the day any arrangement like this has to come to us for approval and endorsement."

In other news, in-form Sydney FC striker Alex Brosque may be a surprise inclusion when caretaker Socceroos coach Rob Baan announces a squad later today for the friendly international against Nigeria in London on Saturday week.

Baan hinted last week that he may have to select A-League players after a host of European-based players indicated they would be unavailable for the match at Craven Cottage.

Baan was finalising his squad late last night, and Brosque - the A-League's leading scorer - was believed to be under serious consideration. If Brosque does get a call-up, he will miss Sydney's trip to play Wellington Phoenix.

In the English Premier League on Sunday, Kevin Nolan salvaged a point for Bolton in their 1-1 draw at West Ham. Nolan cancelled out George McCartney's 20th-minute volley. Bolton are still in the bottom three.

In LA, David Beckham played 83 minutes and scored twice for the Galaxy in a charity game played to raise money for the victims of the California bushfires.