Could the Premier League play out the season in China?
Clubs will discuss the schedule and the PR disaster surrounding salaries
Football fans may have a better idea by the end of today when, if at all, they might see the return of the Premier League.
The league’s 20 clubs will hold a video conference to discuss the possibility of a resumption, but according to BBC Sport it’s “accepted by all that there is no hope of professional games being played immediately after the current 30 April deadline”.
One of two scenarios is expected: either the restart date will be pushed back to late May or, following the example of Spain and France, the league will be suspended indefinitely.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Negative publicity
A week ago that would have been the most pressing matter for Premier League clubs but of even greater significance during today’s conference call will be how to respond to the tsunami of negative publicity that has engulfed the top-flight of English football this week.
On Wednesday MP Julian Knight, the chair of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee, accused the Premier League of “living in a moral vacuum”, and those sentiments were echoed by Health Secretary Matt Hancock at a press conference yesterday when he said the Premier League players should “take a pay cut and play their part”.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise, balanced take on the week’s news - try The Week magazine. Start your trial today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Stand-off
In response to the growing criticism, the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) released a statement which bristled with defiance: “We are aware of the public sentiment that the players should pay non-playing staff’s salaries.
“However, our current position is that - as businesses - if clubs can afford to pay their players and staff, they should.”
It’s reported that the PFA want to examine clubs’ accounts before agreeing to any wage cuts because, according to The Sun, “they remain suspicious of many club owners, who are seeking to use this crisis to wriggle out of their contractual obligations”.
Nonetheless the confusion and delay will likely lead to further criticism with the Daily Mail reporting that a YouGov poll this week revealed that 92% of the public believe Premier League players should accept a wage cut or deferral.
PR disaster
BBC Sport says that the Premier League is acutely aware it is caught in the midst of a public relations disaster and one measure it might announce today to “correct some of the negative publicity” is to offer stadiums and medical staff to the National Health Service.
With football unlikely to resume before June, this short-term measure would help restore their standing among fans and the wider public.
China to the rescue?
What won’t help the Premier League’s cause are stories like the one covered by many of today’s online publications that clubs are contemplating completing the season in China.
The report, which was first carried by The Athletic, says an unnamed club wants the proposal discussed at today’s meeting.
“The country that keeps getting proposed is China,” one club’s chief executive told The Athletic. “If we were to pick up the Premier League and move it to another part of the world right now we’d get absolutely slaughtered.”
China would be an enthusiastic host, given that the country is waging a fierce propaganda war to help the world forget how the coronavirus pandemic started, but football fans may not be quite so enamoured of the idea.
What pundits are saying about the wage war
Mark Irwin, The Sun
“Football’s mega-wealthy really need to understand which way the wind is blowing because there’s a hurricane heading their way and it’s about to blow the whole house down. The general public is looking for a scapegoat and the players are currently losing the PR war.”
Matt Dickinson, The Times
“It really would not take much [for EPL players] to sound human, to explain how they would like just 10% of their income to help those whose livelihoods are imperilled. Instead the silence has been deafening.”
Martin Samuel, Daily Mail
“Coronavirus is an enhancer and it has already made the debate over footballers’ salaries a defining issue of this new age… [PFA chairman Gordon] Taylor should take heed. This is not a battle he can win, certainly not for hearts or minds.”
Today’s back pages
Gary Lineker calls for patience over Premier League pay cut debate
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise, balanced take on the week’s news - try The Week magazine. Start your trial today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
When is an offensive social media post a crime?
The Explainer UK legal system walks a 'difficult tightrope' between defending free speech and prosecuting hate speech
By The Week UK Published
-
When will mortgage rates finally start coming down?
The Explainer Much to potential homebuyers' chagrin, mortgage rates are still elevated
By Becca Stanek, The Week US Published
-
Women are getting their own baseball league again
In the Spotlight The league is on track to debut in 2026
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
The Premier League's spending cap: levelling the playing field?
Talking Point Top clubs oppose plans to link spending to income of lowest-earning club, but rule could prevent success gap from widening
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Is a new English football regulator an own goal for the game?
Talking Point PM hails 'historic moment for football fans' but West Ham owner warns it could 'ruin' Premier League
By The Week UK Published
-
2023-2024 Premier League predictions: champions, relegation and golden boot
feature A look at the top flight talking points and pundit picks for the new season
By Mike Starling Published
-
Man City: can ‘one of the best sides in history’ win the treble?
feature Guardiola’s Premier League champions have two more trophies in their sights
By The Week Staff Published
-
Premier League: Man City vs. Arsenal predictions
feature What the pundits say about tonight’s title race showdown at the Etihad
By Mike Starling Last updated
-
Antonio Conte leaves Tottenham after ‘extraordinary’ rant at players
feature After another year without a trophy, Spurs are now searching for a new manager
By The Week Staff Published
-
Liverpool 7 Man Utd 0: ‘welcome to Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool 2.0’
feature Anfield’s ‘new front three’ were on fire in the humbling of their bitter rivals
By Mike Starling Published
-
Man City’s financial charges: what next for the Premier League champions?
feature The club is alleged to have breached financial rules around 100 times over a nine-year period
By Mike Starling Published