THE GOVERNMENT has threatened to step in to football amid radical plans to change the game.
It was revealed at the weekend that Manchester United and Liverpool are leading the charge for a massive overhaul of English football.
Secretary of State Oliver Dowden has hinted that the government could intervene in footballCredit: PA:Press Association
Reds owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG) have authored a spectacular ‘Revitalisation’ document in a bid to give the Premier League its biggest shake-up since its 1992 inception.
The Telegraph claims the document proposes an 18-team top flight, the axing of the League Cup and additional funding made available for the Football League.
A statement from the Prime Minister read that the proposal ‘does not command support through the Premier League’.
It continued: “It is exactly this type of back room dealing that undermines trust in football’s governance.
“We strongly urge PL and EFL to continue to work constructively to come up with a deal.”
Now Secretary of State Oliver Dowden has hinted that the Government could intervene and take control of governance of the Beautiful Game.
Dowden is scheduled to speak at a select committee today about plans for fans to return to sporting venues.
Speaking on Sky News on Monday morning, Dowden said: “If we keep having these backroom deals and all these other things going on we will have to look again at the underlying governance of football.
“We promised in the (general election) manifesto a fan-led review and I must say the events I have seen the past few weeks have made this seem more urgent again.
“Unless the clubs and the Premier League and the EFL can get together urgently in order to support the game through this difficult period of time it does raise genuine questions about the governance of the sport.”
Manchester United have given their support to the document – in the works since 2017 – called ‘Project Big Picture’.
And the North-West giants – fierce rivals on the pitch – expect the rest of the ‘Big Six’ clubs to support the move.
Liverpool and United are hopeful Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham will all get on board with their proposed changes.
Above all other changes, the clubs have proposed to give struggling EFL clubs £250million to help them survive the coronavirus pandemic.
Moving forward, Premier League clubs will give a massive 25 per cent of their income to teams in the Football League.
The move is said to help end the ‘revenue chasm’ between the Premier League and Football League.
PROPOSED PREMIER LEAGUE CHANGES IN FULL
- EFL given £250m for loss of matchday revenue – deducted from future TV earnings.
- Nine longest-serving clubs have ‘special status’ – with just six votes from those clubs needed to pass a new rule.
- Premier League to go from 20 clubs to 18.
- FA awarded £100m gift to help during Covid-19 pandemic to help non-league game, the women’s game and grassroots football.
- 8.5 per cent of annual net Premier League revenue to go to ‘good causes’, including the FA.
- 25 per cent of all combined Premier League and Football League revenues to go to EFL clubs.
- Six per cent of Premier League gross revenues to pay for stadium improvements across the top four divisions.
- New rules for the distribution of Premier League television income, overseas and domestic.
- League Cup and the Community Shield to be axed.
- 24 clubs each in the Championship, League One and League Two reducing the professional game overall from 92 clubs to 90.
- A women’s professional league independent of the Premier League and FA.
- Two sides automatically relegated from the Premier League every season and the top two Championship teams promoted.
- The 16th place Premier League club plays in a play-off tournament with the Championship’s third, fourth and fifth placed teams.
- Financial Fair Play regulations in line with Uefa, and full access for Premier League executive to club accounts.
- Away tickets for fans to be capped at £20, with travel subsidised, a focus on a return to safe standing, a minimum away allocation of eight per cent capacity.
- Later Premier League start in August to give greater scope for pre-season friendlies, and requirement for all clubs to compete once every five years in a summer Premier League tournament.
- Huge changes to loan system allowing clubs to have 15 players out on loan domestically at any one time and up to four at a single club in England.
- *According to The Telegraph…
Marcus Rashford reveals he’s ‘proud’ to take mum Melanie to meet the Queen after being awarded MBE
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
