PREMIER LEAGUE chiefs have issued a fresh warning over hopes of a June return as the Government insisted “public safety comes first”.
The Government is not convinced the Premier League can resume yet, even behind closed doors – casting doubt over a June 12 start date.
Worried chiefs are trying to find ways of playing the final 92 games of the top flight in England — with a neutral venue masterplan in place — but Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden has warned the game is yet to get the “green light”.
The possible venues are expected to be discussed in a meeting of Premier League clubs on Monday, while other options for restarting the season have even involved the possibility of playing games overseas.
But Dowden told BBC Radio 4: “They’ve not been given the green light.
“If we can get a plan that works then I’d like us to be able to go ahead with it because I think it would be good for the nation, it would be good for football as a whole.
“I’m really hopeful we can get this up and running but public safety must come first so it’s only if we’re confident of that that we’ll be able to proceed.”
Top flight chiefs have reportedly been working on a new seven-week football festival if the season resumes.
But it MUST start by June 19 or it will be impossible for the games to be completed before Uefa’s domestic league cut-off date of August 2.
And if the Government does not announce eases in the lockdown restrictions on Sunday and significantly more in the coming weeks, clubs may reluctantly accept they are running out of time.
Chief executive of the League Managers Association, Richard Bevan, warned the season will be axed all together if clubs don’t agree on matches being held at neutral venues.
Six teams, including Brighton, are believed to be against surrendering their home advantage in the run-in with so much money on the line.
With games expected to be played in front of empty stadiums, matches are set to be shown on YouTube for free if the season restarts.
Last Friday’s meeting between 20 shareholder clubs debated the medical conditions which will allow training and then behind-closed-doors matches at neutral venues.
The top flight has even been offered an escape route to play out the season 9,000 miles away in sunny Australia, with a Perth senator backing the astonishing alternative.
The Aussie city has four major sporting venues that can be used and the country has reported just 93 Covid-19 deaths, compared to over 30,000 in the UK.
SunSport exclusively told you on Wednesday that half of the 20 Prem sides now accept it is impossible to force stars back into action if they fear falling ill or infecting their family with Covid-19.
Ten Prem teams are ready to let stars duck out of Project Restart over concerns they will infect vulnerable loved ones – with Sheffield United being the latest side to add their name to the list
Players that have returned to training are required to follow a strict list of rules, which include wearing snoods and no spitting.
Liverpool are just two wins from clinching the Premier League – but boss Klopp still has no idea if his side will be crowned champions.
Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.sportingexcitement.com/football/premier-league/solskjaer-confirms-man-utd-will-enter-much-changed-transfer-market-in-summer-with-jadon-sancho-and-grealish-on-wishlist
