EFL Chairman Rick Parry has praised Manchester United and Liverpool for proposing radical changes that he believes would save lower league sides who have suffered financially due to coronavirus.
Manchester United and Liverpool have created the proposals, but other Premier League clubs are yet to reveal if they support the proposals which would see the EFL Cup scrapped and the Premier League reduced to 18 teams. Meanwhile the Championship, Leagues One and Two would retain 24 teams each with the bottom two Premier League sides being automatically relegated whilst the 16th placed side joins the Championship play-offs in a bid to keep their place in the league.
Parry is supporting the proposal as the EFL would immediately receive a £250million rescue fund and be entitled to 25% of all future TV deals, he said “This is two of our great clubs showing leadership and exercising responsibility. The message from Liverpool and Manchester United is that they do genuinely care about the pyramid. The Premier League could have come up with a plan like this at any time. How long has it taken to get a rescue package? Months. It was May when the government was saying we need the Premier League to step up to the plate. What's wrong with us talking about a plan that is demonstrably in the best interest of the pyramid and our clubs? We genuinely think that this is in the best interests of the game as a whole."
The Premier League has stated its opposition to the proposals “In the Premier League’s view, a number of the individual proposals in the plan published today could have a damaging impact on the whole game and we are disappointed to see that Rick Parry, Chair of the EFL, has given his on-the-record support.” The Premier League also said “Both the Premier League and The FA support a wide-ranging discussion on the future of the game, including its competition structures, calendar and overall financing particularly in light of the effects of COVID-19.” The Department for Culture, Media and Sport said that it was "surprised and disappointed" by "backroom deals being cooked up".
14 of the current 20 Premier League teams would have to vote in favour of the proposal but as the proposal would see 5 teams relegated in one season it is unlikely that any bottom half side would be in favour of the radical changes.