By Patrick Johnston

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 24 (Reuters) - English Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore warned Asian clubs on Tuesday that a salary cap would have a detrimental effect on their game.

The popular method of controlling spending in clubs is used in American sports and in Australia's domestic A-League but Scudamore, a decade in his role with the Premier League, was against the idea.

"Ultimately, your best talent will be picked off because you are uncompetitive if you have a cap," Scudamore told an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) meeting in the Malaysian capital to help raise professionalism of club soccer in the region.

"The threat is in the middle ranking clubs scouting for everybody's talent. I can't think of a practical way for a worldwide salary cap."

Scudamore who has brokered massive television rights contracts for the Premier League also defended their policy of unequal distribution of television income amongst the clubs.

"We distribute revenues equitably but not evenly. You do not necessarily need to give out revenues evenly to be competitive."

(Editing by Greg Stutchbury; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

((greg.stutchbury@thomsonreuters.com; +64 4 471 4236; Reuters Messaging: greg.stutchbury.reuters.com@reuters.net. For the new Reuters sports blog Left Field go to: http://blogs.reuters.com/sport/))

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