Premier League and EFL are slammed for a ‘lack of leadership’ in the ‘fiasco’ over football’s financial bailout as Government rip into the ‘squabbling at the top of the game’ and say they fear clubs will now go out of business
- DCMS are calling for Premier League and EFL to end ‘current fiasco’ in football
- They admitted they are ‘losing patience’ with the constant back-and-forth
- The Premier League offered a £50m bailout to EFL but terms are still not agreed
The department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport have slammed the Premier League and EFL for their ‘lack of leadership’ over football’s financial bailout.
The Government have admitted they are ‘losing patience’ with the constant back-and-forth between the two as fans remain in the dark over a potential return to stadiums following the coronavirus pandemic.
The Premier League had offered a £50million bailout for League One and League Two clubs that was accepted in principle, but the two organisations have still not agreed on the terms of the package – much to the Government’s dismay.
Premier League, led by Richard Masters, and EFL have been slammed by Government
The make-up of the £50m loan to EFL (led by chairman Rick Parry, pictured) is yet to be agreed
The Premier League’s current offer is of a £20m grant and £30m loan, but as revealed by Sportsmail, the EFL wants the whole £50m to be a non-refundable grant.
Lower League clubs believes that accepting the offer would all but bankrupt them in the eyes of auditors because they would be unable to pay off their debts.
The Government has criticised both organisations for a lack of leadership and not doing right by the fans, who remain unable to attend any matches from the topflight to League Two.
Chairman of the DCMS Julian Knight said: ‘We are losing patience. Fans have waited a long time for a solution that would safeguard their clubs but all they can see is squabbling at the top of the game. Football and its followers deserve better.
‘The current fiasco in reaching an agreement isn’t about the lack of money, but lack of leadership.
‘We’re putting the current leaders of the Premier League and the EFL on notice. We want to be kept in the loop about every discussion, every meeting, every call, every email, to save clubs at risk. Nothing should be withheld from the Committee, and so that fans can see what’s going on, we’ll make these updates public.
‘The predecessor DCMS Committee called for legislation bring in an independent system of football licensing and regulation if the game wasn’t able to reform itself. That time may be fast approaching.’