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      EFL wage cap threatens to turn yo-yo clubs into boomerangs – the repercussions for promotion and relegation are immense

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      IT IS certainly no accident that Norwich, Bournemouth and Watford fill the three top spots in the Championship.
      It is mainly down to the quality of the players they managed to hang on to after all three were relegated from the Premier League last season.

      It’s no surprise Norwich are top of the ChampionshipCredit: Rex Features

      Plenty of clubs have squandered their top-flight legacy, from Blackpool to Wigan, Bolton — poor battered old Bolton — to Sunderland, once known as ‘the Bank of England club’.
      Increasingly, though, clubs have yo-yo’d between the top two divisions. Now proposals from the EFL inadvertently threaten to weaponise the yo-yo into a boomerang.
      I can see the day when the same three clubs perennially fly back and forth from the Championship.
      The reason? That Championship clubs are being asked to consider annual total player salaries to be set at £18million-a-season, with a £720,000-a-year limit on each player.

      That includes tax, agents’ fees, signing-on fees and loyalty bonuses.
      This is about £12k-a-week and the repercussions are immense.
      Your team go down and you will need to sell some of your players to survive, but will only be able to replace them with players on £12k-a-week.
      This is a real leveller and leads to massive inequalities in a squad.

      Clubs like Watford could soon be boomeranging to and from the Championship Credit: Rex Features

      Your team goes up and you now have to play in the Premier League with players on £12k-a-week.
      Even after television payments, the financial problems for promoted teams will be huge.
      Imagine Bournemouth (home attendance 11k) with all of their highest-paid players on a weekly maximum of £12k, promoted to a league where the average might well be £60k.
      What kind of contribution can these teams make to the greatest league in the world?
      Even brilliant financial balancing cannot overcome the twin obstacles of rising with a team made up of pay-capped staff, followed by the instant shock of the cost of the irresistible uplift in wages and the exposure to some of the best sides in the world.
      So, I can offer one certainty — life, already tenuous for past promoted trios, would be a tightrope walk above a relative Niagara Falls.
      Without a balance pole.
      The EFL also has plans to monitor wage bills in real time, which will give them a veto to stop you signing someone if they think you are outside the wage cap.
      WISHFUL THINKING
      If you do fall foul of it they will be able to apply in-season sanctions, a fine of £3 for each £1 overspend and potential deductions of between three and 12 points.
      In case this last line reads like something Comrade Xi Jinping would impose, it does to me too. That points deduction is wishful thinking.
      There would be less than no chance of it being applied in the Premier League to a promoted club.
      There is also a danger that in the long run the Championship will drop in quality and therefore value, making it less attractive to top clubs to loan young players.
      In coronavirus times, it is proper that the EFL should be trying to protect the future of their clubs. But they must be careful not to squeeze out ambition.
      If you have an owner with £100m who wants to invest it in a Championship team, to get promoted to the Premier League, they won’t be able to as their money counts for nothing more than £12k-a-week players.
      Promotion and relegation are the oxygen of our game. It may be that the Rich Six wish to be involved in higher realms, but wherever they go one thing is for certain.
      It won’t be to the Championship, as was comically proposed in the doomed Project Big Picture, as none of their players will take 12k-a-week!

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      Alex Mowatt and Barnsley are eyeing a shock return to the Premier League months after beating relegation to League One

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      ALEX MOWATT has had a whirlwind three years at Barnsley. And the skipper insists you can never accuse the Tykes of being boring.Since joining the club they have been promoted twice, won promotion and survived on the final game of last season. And Barnsley have had five different managers Mowatt, 25, told SunSport: “There’s never […] More

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      THREE Sunderland games postponed and training ground shut for 10 days after coronavirus outbreak

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      SUNDERLAND have announced their training ground has shut for ten days with the next THREE games postponed after being hit by a coronavirus outbreak.
      The Black Cats were without EIGHT first-team stars for last night’s 1-1 draw with AFC Wimbledon.

      Sunderland’s next three games have been postponed due to a coronavirus outbreakCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      The Academy of Light has been closed for ten days after a total of five positive casesCredit: Getty – Contributor

      And the Academy of Light training ground has now been closed with immediate effect to prevent the virus from spreading further.
      It means games against Shrewsbury, Blackpool and Hull City will not be going ahead this month.
      But Sunderland are aiming to face Accrington Stanley on December 29 after returning to training two days before.
      An official statement read: “Sunderland AFC has today informed the EFL that it will not be able to play its next three Sky Bet League One fixtures following an outbreak of Covid-19 at the Academy of Light.

      “After one senior player tested positive for coronavirus on Monday, selected players and staff undertook additional testing and a further four cases of coronavirus have now been confirmed.
      “The individuals that have tested positive – and those that have come into close contact with them – are now observing a period of self-isolation at home.
      “Following extensive dialogue and clear guidance from Public Health England, SAFC has taken the decision to close the Academy of Light with immediate effect for a 10-day period in order to protect its players and staff and to prevent the further spread of the virus.”
      Chief Executive Officer James Rodwell added: “It is with a heavy heart that I have informed the EFL that we are unable to play our next three league fixtures. 

      “The welfare of our players, staff and opponents remains the number one priority and following detailed conversations with the relevant authorities, we have also taken the responsible decision to close the Academy of Light for a 10-day period. 
      “On behalf of everyone at the club, I wish all of those affected a swift and complete recovery.”
      Sunderland’s decision came after Black Cats boss Lee Johnson blasted the EFL for ‘dangerously’ forcing his Covid-hit side to play against Wimbledon on Tuesday.
      He was forced to make five changes to his side and name four youngsters on the bench who had played 24 hours earlier for the U23s.
      Johnson, who only took charge of Sunderland ten days ago, said: “That game should have been called off, no doubt in my mind. That was dangerous for those two sets of players.
      “I can’t help but feel angry, frustrated, at the moment I am not sure who I am angry at. I had to control the controllables. We didn’t get any help with clarity.
      “We asked the EFL for permission to postpone the game, and were told ‘If you postpone the game you will be up for sanction and you will be investigated’.
      “There was then a lack of clarity on exactly what that investigation entails, and the threat of having to potentially forsake the game and give the three points up to Wimbledon, we weren’t willing to take.
      “Don’t forget, it was all very quick and rushed. We’ve got our players’ safety to think of, and the safety of the players from Wimbledon as well as the staff. There should be much better protocols in place.

      Boss Lee Johnson was furious the EFL didn’t postpone last night’s game with AFC WimbledonCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Johnson had to call up a number of kids who had played for the U23s just a day earlierCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      “If the Bristol Rovers one is the same circumstance, then if they get off scot free, somehow we’ve been tucked up.
      “If they get deducted the points, then this becomes a good point because we’ve played the game and hustled with players who aren’t fit.
      “The EFL won’t give you the funding to do the testing, but then at the same time, they won’t help you out when there’s a circumstance that happens. It’s almost like we’ve been punished for doing the right protocols.”
      But the EFL fired back, saying: “The safety and well-being of players is a priority and the protocols that have been developed are designed to protect individuals and, if followed, will help prevent the spread of infection.
      “All EFL Clubs are aware of the processes and steps needed to take in the event of positive cases of COVID-19 and the impact this could have on their wider playing squads.
      “Throughout our extensive discussions on Tuesday it was made clear to the management of Sunderland that the option existed for them to inform the League they were unable to fulfil the fixture, but this would result in the circumstances being investigated as a result of the Club being required to fulfil their fixture obligations in accordance with the regulations.
      “This is consistent with the approach taken with other Clubs who have been faced with similar situation and the requirement to self-isolate players and staff in line with EFL and Government guidance.
      “As Sunderland has confirmed they opted not to do this for the reasons they have identified and to play in the fixture.
      “That decision rested with the Club as only they can make the determination on whether they had sufficient players available from their squad to fulfil the fixture.”

      Sunderland boss Johnson furious at EFL after being forced into dangerous Wimbledon game More

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      Watch Bournemouth stars Surridge and Stanislas in shoving match in middle of game before team-mates jump in

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      BOURNEMOUTH duo Sam Surridge and Junior Stanislas threatened to come to blows on Tuesday night as the pair had to be separated by team-mates.
      Match-winner Stanislas, 31, was left incensed after the Cherries striker opted to shoot in the closing stages of their 1-0 win against Wycombe Wanderers at the Vitality Stadium.

      Bournemouth’s Sam Surridge and Junior Stanislas were involved in a strange shoving match after Surridge took a shot in injury-time against Wycombe Wanderers. pic.twitter.com/pS9TkqNSYe
      — Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) December 16, 2020

      Sam Surridge and Junior Stanislas were seen pushing each other in the closing stages Bournemouth’s win over WycombeCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Stanislas was furious with his team-mate after he opted to take a shotCredit: Rex Features

      The valuable three points took the south coast side to the top of the Championship table having picked up their tenth victory in 19 games.
      But their gritty performance has been overshadowed by the incident at the end of the match where tempers flared between Surridge and Stanislas.
      Academy graduate Surridge, 22, did brilliantly in the latter stages of the clash as he picked up the ball just inside Wycombe’s half, before driving into the box and winning his side a corner.
      However his mazy run infuriated Stanislas as he appeared to be angry that the ball wasn’t played back to him instead.

      Though football fans have argued that the former West Ham and Burnley winger – who has scored six goals in as many games – wanted Surridge to go to the corner flag to waste time.
      Stanislas confronted the England U21 international, with the two then shoving each other as team-mate Jefferson Lerma rushed in to separate the two.
      Other team-mates then got involved as they dragged the players away before referee Matthew Donohue attempted to calm the pair down.
      Boss Jason Tindall played down the incident following the full-time whistle, though he stressed he wasn’t a fan of what happened.

      Midfielder Jefferson Lerma rushed in to separate Surridge and StanislasCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      He said: “For me it just goes to show the passion of the team and how much they want to win – how much each game means to them.
      “You don’t want to see what happened but it’s no different to what happens up and down the country on the training ground from time-to-time.
      “There’s no hard feelings between the two of them. They were just frustrated at the time and passion probably got the better of both of them.
      “But they are in the changing room now, all fine, all laughing, all joking, still united and it’s all forgotten.”

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      Exeter and Cambridge fans boo players taking knee with Grecians supporter ejected from ground

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      EXETER and Cambridge fans booed players taking the knee on Tuesday night.
      A Grecians supporter was ejected from St James Park after being identified by stewards and spoken to by police.

      Exeter City’s Ryan Bowman and Harrogate striker Jack Muldoon, who later hit the visitors’ winner, were booed taking the knee before the League Two clashCredit: Pinnacle Photo Agency

      Many Exeter fans tried to drown out the booing from a few of their fellow home supporters against HarrogateCredit: Pinnacle Photo Agency

      Fellow Exeter fans tried to drown out the booing as the players took the knee in support of Black Lives Matter before their 2-1 League Two defeat against Harrogate.
      A handful of fans also heckled at Cambridge’s Abbey Stadium before their 2-1 win over Colchester in the same division as both sides took the knee.
      The anti-racism gesture had barely begun when a few boos rang out.
      But the majority of the crowd responded by clapping to show support.

      It is the second time in a week Exeter have been plunged into controversy following an allegation of racist abuse towards a Northampton star last Tuesday.
      The club and police are  investigating and have appealed for witnesses.
      And Exeter skipper Jake Taylor hit out at at Tuesday night’s booing.
      DevonLive quote the one-cap Wales winger as saying: “There is no place for it at Exeter City so I’m glad he got dealt with.

      QPR and Millwall players united for this gesture against racism after some Lions’ fans heckled their players taking the knee against Derby
      “Hopefully (the fan) gets banned and has to deal with the consequences as it shouldn’t be happening in this day and age.
      “We are a respectable club and I hope our fans would back the message that us players and staff back too.
      “It is really disappointing and not an Exeter City thing to do.
      “Both teams spoke about it before the game and we are fully onboard with it.

      “Hopefully when it happens in the future (taking a knee) it gets a better reaction than it did this evening.”
      The incidents came 10 days after Millwall fans heckled their players and Derby’s for taking a knee at The Den.
      Lions fans applauded their team and QPR for an alternative anti-racism protest three days later, with players instead linking arms before kick-off.

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      Bradford sack manager Stuart McCall after six straight losses left side just above League Two drop zone

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      BRADFORD CITY have sacked manager Stuart McCall after six consecutive defeats.
      The Bantams lost 3-1 at Oldham on Saturday and are just one place above the League Two relegation zone having not won a league game since November 3.

      Bradford City have sacked Stuart McCall with the club in the League Two relegation zoneCredit: Rex Features

      It was McCall’s fourth spell in charge of the Yorkshire side having come through their academy and played more than 300 games for the first team.
      Bradford CEO Ryan Sparks, said: “We would like to take this opportunity to thank Stuart and Kenny for their efforts over the past 10 months.
      “This decision was not taken lightly, and we have done everything in our power to support them during their time at the club.
      “Unfortunately, we have taken only four points from our last 10 games, and find ourselves in a battle at the wrong end of the table.

      “And, with a host of important fixtures – and the January transfer window – on the horizon, we felt now was the right time to move in a different direction.”
      McCall, 56, said: “I am obviously disappointed it has ended like this for everyone concerned, but am thankful for the opportunity we were given – and the support we have received throughout.
      “Kenny and I were excited to return to the club and were desperate to bring success, though results have not been good enough.
      “I would like to wish everyone at Bradford City nothing but the very best for the future.”

      Academy coaches Mark Trueman and Conor Sellars will take temporary charge of the first-team squad, ahead of Tuesday evening’s trip to Crawley Town.
      Former Scotland international McCall joined City’s youth academy in 1980 before breaking into the first team two years later.
      The midfielder left for Everton in 1988 but returned ten years later after a seven year stint at Rangers.
      During his second spell as a player, McCall took caretaker charge of the Bantams for a brief period in 2000.
      And after retiring from playing in 2005, he returned as gaffer between 2007-10.
      Having spent time in charge of Motherwell and Rangers, he returned to Valley Parade in 2016 for another two year stint.
      And he was back again this year – appointed full-time manager for the third time in Feburary replacing Gary Bowyer.

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      Norwich star Teemu Pukki commits himself to shooting club back into the Premier League and vows: I’m going nowhere

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      TEEMU PUKKI has given every Norwich fan an early Christmas present.
      The striker promises he is committed to shooting the club back into the Premier League and is going nowhere next month.

      Norwich ace Teemu Pukki lifts aloft the Championship trophy last yearCredit: PRESS ASSOCIATION

      Pukki won the Golden Boot for his 29 goals during Norwich’s 2018-19 seasonCredit: REX FEATURES

      Pukki, 30, will attract a lot of suitors in the January transfer window.
      But he told SunSport: “I’ve no plans for leaving in January. I’m fighting for this team and we’ve got a big season going on.
      “I want to go back into the Premier League and I’m fighting for that.”
      The striker is set to make his 100th appearance when the Canaries travel to Blackburn today – having scored 48 goals and made 14 assists in his 99 games so far.

      Pukki is modest for a footballer generating so much love.
      The striker won legendary status at Carrow Road after shooting them into the Premier League in his first season with a staggering 29 goals after signing on a free from Brondby.
      And he then secured himself as a national treasure in Finland by firing them into next summer’s rearranged Euros, the first time they have qualified for a major tournament.
      His status was illustrated last year when his country’s then Prime Minister Antti Rinne took a special gift to Paris for French president Emmanuel Macron – a Teemu Pukki shirt.

      The striker told me: “It was a bit weird seeing that happen. I didn’t know how to react and it’s hard to say what I thought about that. I hope President Macron likes the shirt.”

      Even French President Emmanuel Macron owns a Teemu Pukki t-shirtCredit: Antti Rinne/Twitter

      Pukki and fans celebrate as Finland qualify for their first-ever tournament Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS
      Ironically, reigning World Cup champions France were this week drawn in the same qualifying group for the 2022 tourneament in Qatar.
      Pukki’s season with the Canaries in the top flight was a tale of two halves.
      In the first part – up until January – he had thumped 11 goals in the top flight, not a bad effort for a club that were bottom for most of it.
      But after scoring at Tottenham in a 2-1 defeat, he failed to net again – and, after lockdown, Norwich finished bottom with a whimper as they lost all eight games.
      It was a shame because at one stage Norwich, despite their lowly position, were playing great football – prompting pundit Danny Murphy to describe them as the “best ever bottom-of-the-table team”.
      So why did Pukki’s form tail off?
      He said: “There were a lot of things. As a team we didn’t create the same amount of chances and, personally, my confidence levels were down after not scoring after so many games.
      “Up until January-February time, we were playing good football – but just couldn’t get the points. Whenever we went behind, we just couldn’t turn the games around.

      As a team we didn’t create the same amount of chances and, personally, my confidence levels were down
      Teemu Pukki

      “After the corona break, we didn’t score as many goals. It was a tough time, personally and as a team. We weren’t able to raise our level at the end of the season.
      “We couldn’t compete in the end at that level – because in the Premier League mistakes made are exploited because there is more quality.”
      Now, back in the Championship, the Canaries are flying at the top of the table without really flapping their wings.
      The Norfolk club have managed to churn out results with an injury-hit squad – thanks mostly to a more solid defence.

      Teemu Pukki celebrates one of his 11 Premier League goals, against ArsenalCredit: EPA
      Pukki said: “For sure, I don’t think we’ve shown our best yet. In some moments we have. There have been some tough games where we’ve got the winner in the end.
      “We’ve been having a lot of injuries. Hopefully we’ll get our boys back soon.
      “Our defenders have been brilliant, the keeper as well. If you compare this season to the one when we went up, we conceded a lot of goals but were scoring a lot of goals as well.
      “This time we’ve had a lot of 1-0 victories. If you want to compete at this level you need to be secure at the back. That’s been working well.”

      Daniel Farke is known for being a hard taskmasker. His training regime is one of the toughest in English football and the team’s superior fitness levels have played dividends with the amount of late goals they have scored this season.
      Nine of their 23 netted have come in the last 10 minutes to either win matches or snatch a point.
      Pukki said: “That’s something we’ve been good at. We’ve done a lot of work and have the fitness levels to turn the games in the end.
      “That is something we keep working at every week. We can go 90 minutes and turn the games.”
      With the Canaries finishing rock bottom by some distance, the board could have been justified to sack their German coach but decided to stay loyal.
      And the Finnish ace said: “Since the first moment I came here I felt he was a good manager.

      Pukki celebrates scoring at Stoke and is on form again after a tough 2020Credit: REX FEATURES
      “He got us playing good football. It has been a tough year for all of us. The club wanted to believe he can change things around and that is what we are showing.
      “It’s still a lot of work but we’re going in the right direction.”
      Pukki’s is looking forward to what he hopes is a huge 2021 – leading Norwich back into the top-flight and then featuring for Finland in the Euros.
      He said: “We had some hard times with the national team where we didn’t win a single game in one year but in the last couple of years it’s been great for Finnish football.
      “We’ve had many players in the European leagues and whenever we get together we’re quite a competitive team. I’m proud of what we’ve done for the Finnish national team and it is every footballer’s dream back home to appear in a major tournament.”

      CROCK-ODILE TEARS FOR NORWICH

      IT’S been a challenge to socially-distance everyone needing treatment in the Norwich medical room this season.Up until today’s trip to Blackburn, they have had a staggering SIXTEEN players who have missed matches through injuries.Here’s their tale of the crocks.
      Tim Krul (thigh)
      Sam Byram (hamstring)
      Jordan Hugill (shoulder)
      Kieran Dowell (ankle)
      Todd Cantwell (hip)
      Xavi Quintilla (hip)
      Kenny McLean (knee)
      Adam Idah (knee)
      Onel Hernandez (adductor)
      Ben Gibson (calf)
      Christoph Zimmermann (calf)
      Przemyslaw Placheta (hamstring)
      Grant Hanley (hamstring)
      Marco Stiepermann (back)
      Bali Mumba (knee)
      Teemu Pukki (hamstring)

      Norwich have taken advantage of Pukki’s status in Finland by forging a number of commercial partnership in the Scandinavian country.
      The club have deals in place with plastic-free-cups firm Kotka Mills, travel company Dr. Oetker Suom and Pyynikin Brewery – as well as sell plenty of Pukki merchandise that sells in his homeland almost as fast a Finnish vodka.
      But surely Norwich are missing a trick in their partnership with British firm Pukka Pies.
      A hearty Pukki Pie has a really nice ring to it.
      The Finnish ace laughed: “I’ve never tried a pie.”
      You really should, Teemu. Get Delia Smith to bake you one.

      The Finnish star celebrates with Norwich fans after clinching promotionCredit: GETTY

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