Home
Register
Portal
Log in
Several foreign-owned Premier League clubs want
to scrap relegation, according to League Managers Association (LMA)
chief Richard Bevan.
Bevan fears that if more clubs are sold to foreign investors they may have enough votes to force changes.
But the Premier League said relegation and promotion were part of its rules and added to the league's strength.
Bevan hopes that a parliamentary inquiry into football goverance would also help prevent the proposal.
"We're very keen that the report is successful in helping the
Football Association introduce a licensing programme for clubs," he
said.
"Because there are a number of overseas-owned clubs already
talking about bringing about the avoidance of promotion and relegation
in the Premier League.
"If we have four or five more new owners, that could happen."
PREMIER LEAGUE FOREIGN OWNERS
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Nearly half of the Premier League's 20 clubs are under foreign
ownership, with rules stipulating that if changes are to be made to the
format, 14 clubs must vote in favour of any new reforms.
Blackburn joined the likes of Manchester United, Manchester
City, Liverpool and Chelsea in this class when they were taken over by
Indian-owned Venky's Group last season.
But the Premier League told BBC Sport that the move would be a
non-starter, with the Football Association retaining the power to veto
any proposals.
The Premier League clubs have not formally discussed any such
move since Bolton chairman Phil Gartside proposed his two-tiered
structure two years ago, an idea which was soon dismissed.
However, Bevan still believes it is a possibility, arguing
any new owner of a Premier League club would not need to be foreign for
them to see there would be money to be made from scrapping relegation.
"It doesn't really matter if you're from overseas or not,
does it?" he said. "It doesn't matter whether you're from Birmingham or
you're from Burma."
A Premier League spokesman said that they did not recognise
LMA chief executive Bevan's claims, which come a week after the
government [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.].
Sports minister Hugh Robertson said that an FA-led licensing
system would be brought in to safeguard against issues such as financial
mismanagement, asset-stripping owners and tax avoidance.
The government also asked for rules to manage club debts and an overhaul of the FA board.
Last Wednesday, Liverpool's managing director Ian Ayre said the [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.].
What a load of old bollix , end Prem league relegation , yeah right , as if . END OF
to scrap relegation, according to League Managers Association (LMA)
chief Richard Bevan.
Bevan fears that if more clubs are sold to foreign investors they may have enough votes to force changes.
But the Premier League said relegation and promotion were part of its rules and added to the league's strength.
Bevan hopes that a parliamentary inquiry into football goverance would also help prevent the proposal.
"We're very keen that the report is successful in helping the
Football Association introduce a licensing programme for clubs," he
said.
"Because there are a number of overseas-owned clubs already
talking about bringing about the avoidance of promotion and relegation
in the Premier League.
"If we have four or five more new owners, that could happen."
PREMIER LEAGUE FOREIGN OWNERS
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
- Aston Villa (Randy Lerner)
- Blackburn (Venky's Group)
- Chelsea (Roman Abramovich)
- Fulham (Mohamed Al Fayed)
- Liverpool (Fenway Sports Group)
- Manchester United (Glazer family)
- Manchester City (Sheikh Mansour)
- Sunderland (Ellis Short)
- QPR (Tony Fernandes)
- *Arsenal's Stan Kroenke is a majority shareholder
Nearly half of the Premier League's 20 clubs are under foreign
ownership, with rules stipulating that if changes are to be made to the
format, 14 clubs must vote in favour of any new reforms.
Blackburn joined the likes of Manchester United, Manchester
City, Liverpool and Chelsea in this class when they were taken over by
Indian-owned Venky's Group last season.
But the Premier League told BBC Sport that the move would be a
non-starter, with the Football Association retaining the power to veto
any proposals.
The Premier League clubs have not formally discussed any such
move since Bolton chairman Phil Gartside proposed his two-tiered
structure two years ago, an idea which was soon dismissed.
However, Bevan still believes it is a possibility, arguing
any new owner of a Premier League club would not need to be foreign for
them to see there would be money to be made from scrapping relegation.
"It doesn't really matter if you're from overseas or not,
does it?" he said. "It doesn't matter whether you're from Birmingham or
you're from Burma."
A Premier League spokesman said that they did not recognise
LMA chief executive Bevan's claims, which come a week after the
government [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.].
Sports minister Hugh Robertson said that an FA-led licensing
system would be brought in to safeguard against issues such as financial
mismanagement, asset-stripping owners and tax avoidance.
The government also asked for rules to manage club debts and an overhaul of the FA board.
Last Wednesday, Liverpool's managing director Ian Ayre said the [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.].
What a load of old bollix , end Prem league relegation , yeah right , as if . END OF
