CRYSTAL PALACE chairman Steve Parish has warned the Premier League could crash like the airline industry if it does not return by August.
The Selhurst supremo fears clubs could suffer the same financial fates as firms like British Airways and Ryanair if matches do not resume within the next four months.
Steve Parish warned the Premier League may never fully recover if it does not return as soon as possibleCredit: PA:Press Association
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Parish admits it is likely fixtures will have to take place at neutral venues behind closed doors.
But he insists even this would save clubs and the division – which he believes could be “distorted” by the current crisis for two years.
Premier League chiefs are set to meet next week to respond to the Government’s plans on coming out of lockdown – which are expected to be finalised this weekend.
He said: “I don’t think people are thinking clearly about the ramifications if we don’t play.
“If we don’t play we are essentially throwing ourselves at the mercy of our customers.
“We are in a position where fundamentally we are airlines from August.
“I know it’s a doomsday scenario but I don’t have any visibility on income past August. And I don’t understand why anybody would pay us if we can’t put the product on for them.”
Football in this country has been suspended since March 13 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Parish said: “At the beginning of this crisis we woke up every day expecting there to be an easy solution. That tomorrow it would be ok.
“There is a dawning realisation that unless we get lucky and get a vaccine extremely quickly or these interventions in hospitals work far better, we are probably going to inch out of this.
“We are all going to need a way to operate in the world in the way it pretty much looks like now.
“I hope I’m wrong I really do, but it really is a hope to work on anything better than that. It isn’t a strategy or a plan.
“It’s a difficult time and it’s difficult to give people finites when there are so many things we don’t know.”
Parish insists the health of players, fans and the public must come first.
And he said: “It’s likely we’ll start next season at neutral grounds. I am sure we will want to get back into our own stadiums as quickly as we can and as soon as it is safe to do so.
“Naturally there will be a distortion probably for two seasons and things will not be as they should be.
“That’s the world we are living in and it’s something we are going to have to come to terms with.”
But Parish, speaking on Sky Sports’ Football Show, said: “I personally think in six to eight weeks time it might give us all a lift – but we don’t know where we’ll be then and the public health situation comes first. We will need to understand the environment.
“Right now we’re just planning and trying to work out a way to play a game traditionally played in front of crowds without crowds.
“There is a lot to work through, whether it’s to finish this season which I think we should do our best to try to do or participating in the next one.
“Our job is to try to create a safe environment now and if we can start next season under those circumstances why wouldn’t we finish this one?”
Crystal Palace chief fears clubs could suffer the same financial fates as firms like British Airways and RyanairCredit: Reuters
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
