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MARTIN SAMUEL: Not every idea from the US stinks, but Todd Boehly's one for an All-Star game does… we already have international football, where team-mates do battle and arch-rivals come together

It is easy to laugh at Todd Boehly's big ideas for English football, but first be aware of how previous innovations were received.

The introduction of a second substitute, initially proposed in 1986, was rejected on the grounds it would constitute another meal, another appearance fee and an extra hotel room on away trips.

Later, Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein arrived with the idea of putting players' names on shirts. One club owner opposed it claiming his laundry room wasn't big enough to cope. As it was, a player could take any shirt with a number on the back.