THE PLOT SICKENS
Disgust as power grab is tailored to make the rich even richer
CHANGE is coming to our national game as English football braces itself for what could be the biggest revolution in three decades.
Not since the inception of the Premier League in 1992 have such huge, seismic proposals been put forward – sending genuine shockwaves crashing through the sport.
It will come as no surprise that giants Liverpool and Manchester United are the two driving forces behind the plan known as “Project Big Picture”.
Bitter rivals throughout football’s history, these two have now come together in a bid to oversee huge reform throughout the game.
The document sets out remarkable proposals to overhaul the sport in the wake of the impact of the Covid- 19 crisis.
It also appears to be a blatant attempt from those with all the money and power to take a vice- like grip on the richest football league in the world.
The standout proposals include:
The Premier League could be cut to 18 teams, the League Cup could either be scrapped or not include those involved in Europe. The Community Shield would also be scrapped.
Top- flight clubs would hand over a £ 250million bailout package to the EFL to save clubs from financial ruin following Covid- 19.
The nine clubs who have been in the Premier League the longest – which includes the big six of United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham – would run every aspect of the league and be free to play more games in the expanded Champions League that could come into play from the 2024- 2025 season onwards.
l These nine would be given “long- term shareholder status” – with the votes of just six of them required to make sweeping changes. These clubs would even be able to veto a new owner taking over a rival club.
The Championship, along with League One and Two, would have 24 clubs each while the play- offs would see third, fourth and fifth enter along with the 16th team from the Premier League.
The FA would also receive a £ 100m “gift” to help with grassroots football.
EFL clubs would receive a greater share of cash to help with stadium development and there would be a shake- up of how TV cash is distributed.
The EFL have been quick to back the plan, but will probably feel blackmailed into doing so considering the bailout would see them save their own skins.
Football’s cabal of the big six will also welcome the plan, but the smaller ones will be less keen on the prospect of losing their power and control – as a civil war looms within a game eating itself up from the inside out.
EFL chairman Rick Parry has held extensive talks with the respective American owners of both Liverpool and United, but his decision to go rogue and publicly throw his weight behind the ideas has left the Premier League seething. Parry admits no survival package can come without a degree of pain – and it remains to be seen if “Project Big Picture” sinks as quickly as it has been floated.
Parry said: “Do I genuinely think it’s for the greater good of the game as a whole? Absolutely.
“And if the six are deriving some benefit then why shouldn’t they?
“It is definitely going to be challenging and it is an enormous change – so that won’t be without some pain.”