Bottom-six threat to finishing season
Neutral venues opposed by clubs in relegation danger Lampard says testing must not affect front-line work
There is a major rift emerging between the top 14 Premier League clubs and those in the bottom six, with concerns the strugglers will try to block the completion of the season and plunge the league into financial disaster.
Despite a unified statement in the aftermath of Friday’s pivotal conference call, there were very different views expressed internally, with Brighton and Hove Albion, Watford, West Ham United, Bournemouth, Norwich City and, to a lesser extent, Aston Villa opposed to using neutral grounds for the remaining games.
Paul Barber, the Brighton chief executive, has already gone on record to say that playing the remaining games at neutral grounds, as per the “Project Restart” plan to complete the season in a biosecure environment, is unacceptable to his club, who are 15th and two points off the relegation places.
In Friday’s call a number of clubs outside the traditional “Big Six” argued that the neutral-grounds approach was the only way the league could complete its remaining fixtures and by doing so avoid a potentially crippling £762million rebate to broadcasters in the event of a curtailed season.
While it would need just 14 votes to pass the neutral-grounds amendment, the league knows it must carry with it the players, staff and public mood if it is to have any chance of resuming the season. There is general support among the other 14 clubs for the prospect of restarting next month with games at eight to 10 neutral venues and home advantage abolished.
From the six clubs most in danger of relegation, Christian Purslow, the Villa chief executive, is understood to have offered a very balanced reaction on Friday to the prospect of games at neutral grounds. Karren Brady, the West Ham vice-chairman, wrote in her column in yesterday’s Sun that she supported completing the season and that “any compromises have to be fair and uphold the integrity of the game”.
Jeff Mostyn, the Bournemouth chairman, is understood to be one of those to have spoken against the neutral-grounds proposal.
Barber told The Sunday Telegraph: “We are not in favour of neutral venues because we believe it damages the integrity of the competition. We want to finish the season and want to find a way to finish when it’s safe to do so.”
On the other side, there were major contributions during Friday’s conference call from many clubs below the top six. Martin Semmens, the Southampton chief executive, told BBC Radio Solent: “I have a responsibility in my role to make sure we do get back one day. We also have a responsibility to the football pyramid.”
Championship clubs have discussed restarting the season in July. While doubts are being heard over completing the campaign in League One and Two, second-tier clubs believe returning to action midsummer and having a quick turnaround for the new season can be explored.
Rick Parry, the English Football League chairman, insisted last week that clubs were determined to finish the season, although Mark Palios, the Tranmere Rovers owner, fears it will be too expensive to host games. He said: “I don’t believe that there will be a viable option. As every week goes by, the chances of finishing the season get less for League One and League Two.”
The EFL would face a huge decision on what to do about promotion and relegation should the season be cancelled. “I think the mood tone is towards promotions without relegations,” Palios said. “It’s very difficult to recapture the integrity, full stop.”
It is understood there are doubts over whether League One and League Two would be able to implement the kind of measures planned by the Premier League to keep players safe.
Frank Lampard, the Chelsea manager, said that testing of Premier League players for Covid-19 should not impact on tests for NHS and front-line workers. He told BT Sport: “When we talk about the testing, we’re going to have 70 or 80 staff minimum if we’re going to restart training, and if we’re going to test regularly, that’s fine.
“But when we’re looking around the world, I don’t know the testing numbers for NHS and care workers and people that do these incredible jobs over the last two months or so. I don’t think it would sit well with me or anyone if we didn’t make sure people were being tested who are in that front line.
“It’s important for football to take its place. After that we probably have the integrity issue, neutral venues, out-ofcontract players, of which we have a couple of major players, so there are many conversations and that’s very clear at the minute.”