‘I don’t see any pro’: 49ers coach slams upcoming trip to Australia for historic NFL clash at the MCG

The buzz is building ahead of this year’s historic NFL game in Melbourne, but 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan appears less than enthused after declaring he doesn’t “see any pro” about having to travel to Australia. San Francisco and the Los Angeles Rams will clash at the MCG on Friday, September 11 in what will be the first NFL match played on Australian soil. The week one fixture has garnered plenty of attention Down Under given how much interest there is in the sport these days, with Aussie punter Michael Dickson playing a key role in Seattle’s recent Super Bowl victory. And while locals will be the big winners with a marquee week one matchup, Shanahan isn’t so pleased given his side will have to travel 19 hours to take on their NFC West rivals. “I don’t see any pro,” he said at the annual league meetings in Phoenix. “It’s cool for the league to play globally. I think that’s awesome. But as far as the team doing it, no, there’s not much benefit to it. Sometimes it’s nice to get a bye week after but doesn’t happen in week one.“ Tickets go on sale to the public on April 8 for a game that is likely to sell out quickly, with the Rams building their presence over the years as one of the four dedicated teams that hold official marketing rights in Australia. The 10.35am kick-off will ensure the game is played in prime time back in America, but it’s going to take a while to convince the 49ers coach that it’s a good idea when he brings attacking weapons Christian McCaffrey and star recruit Mike Evans to our shores. “I was so fired up,” Shanahan said with a stack of sarcasm in his voice. “That was our goal to go 19 hours away to play a game. I think we’re going back in time or into the future. I think we gain a day or lose a day, I’m not sure which one it is yet. It is what it is and we’ll deal with it. “I think there are (nine) international games. We’ve got two of them, so we’re fired up about that.“