Bradford City chairman Geoffrey Richmond has slammed the World Club Championship as "manufactured" and believes it needs a drastic overhaul for it to take an accredited place in the soccer calendar.

Richmond feels the tournament in Brazil did little to capture the imagination of supporters given the quality of teams involved and the timing of the event.

Manchester United's participation caused more of a stir off the pitch than it did on, not least due to their failure to defend the FA Cup which Richmond reckons was ultimately devalued.

There has since been talk of the event becoming an annual affair.

Richmond is urging FIFA to at least add credibility to future tournaments by making it a World Club Championship worthy of the name.

"It was a competition which seemed to come from nowhere," said Richmond.

"I don't think anybody realised there was going to be a tournament in Brazil in the middle of the season and in which an English club would be represented.

"It is a manufactured competition. I do believe there is a place in the calendar for it, but it needs to be carefully thought out so it takes place in a period during the year which doesn't interfere with domestic competitions.

"My own view is that the football calendar in England, Europoe and the world as a whole, needs closely looking at.

"But it's a championship which has been devalued by the choice of the teams which have taken part."

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