Graeme
Souness admits he can understand why clubs battling to stay in the Premier
League will oppose the idea of finishing the season at neutral venues.
Premier League clubs remain committed to finishing the 2019/20 season, but
this will only be possible if eight to 10 neutral venues are used to play
the remaining fixtures.
That is considered the most appropriate number of venues that will be
granted safety certificates (Sports Grounds Safety Authority) and police
approval.
Speaking on The Football Show, Souness believes it will be very difficult
for the Premier League season to be completed with games at neutral venues.
"It comes down to money. We talk about the Premier League being awash with
money, but if this really bites, some Premier League clubs could be in dire
straits financially."
Graeme Souness on The Football Show
Souness told
Sky Sports: "It's going to be very difficult to get
everyone to agree to it because everyone is looking after their own house
right now. If the clubs are objecting to it, it's because they feel it gives
them less of a chance of staying in the Premier League.
"I think there's a real argument for that. Teams near the bottom need every
advantage they can possibly get. For Brighton, for example, who have five
home games - although they're against big teams - they'll see playing at the
Amex as an advantage.
"I think it's going to be very difficult [for an agreement to be reached].
If it goes to the vote, it will be very difficult to get it through. It
comes down to money. We talk about the Premier League being awash with
money, but if this really bites, some Premier League clubs could be in dire
straits financially.
"It won't just be the smaller ones who don't have such a big budget, some of
the bigger clubs will struggle because of the outlays they have. If you're
spending more than you've got coming in, ultimately you're going to be in
trouble and that's the top and bottom of football."
It is understood clubs were told on Friday limiting action to a handful of
selected stadiums was the only way it would be possible to complete the
remaining matches of the 2019-20 season for safety reasons.
Redknapp: Everyone has their own agenda
Brighton chief executive Paul Barber voiced opposition to the idea of
finishing the Premier League season at neutral venues on Sunday.
It's understood that the latest updates to 'Project Restart' were well
received but there remained opposition on competition and integrity grounds
about using neutral venues, with Barber confirming Brighton are among those
with reservations.
West Ham, facing a very similar relegation battle to Brighton, would also
prefer their home games to be played at the London Stadium.
Jamie Redknapp told The Football Show: "If we can get to a situation where
everyone buys into the use of neutral venues then we'd take it as then we'd
be in a position to play football again, but everyone is thinking of
themselves right now.
"Of course football needs to restart at some point, but safety has to come
first and we've seen players speak out about this. They're nervous as
they've got families. A lot of players have parents who have underlying
health problems so you've got to be extremely careful.
"Everyone has got their own agenda. I remember during my last season at
Southampton where everyone's wages would have gone down by 40 per cent if we
were relegated. For that reason, there will be a lot of clubs thinking 'why
should we start again?' Why take that risk of getting relegated and then
losing wages and seeing jobs cut?
"I know in Ligue 1 we've seen clubs relegated but I cannot see that
happening in the Premier League. I cannot see that situation as there would
be so much litigation that would follow. It would cause so many problems if
they were to relegate the bottom three.
"Bournemouth, Norwich and Aston Villa would go absolutely crazy and I can't
see that happening.
"What about the players? Some will want to play, and some won't. They've got
the right not to play until they feel comfortable. Some people will enjoy
playing with no crowd.
"Some I've played with Monday to Friday and they've been fantastic but then
they'd give the ball away constantly on a Saturday. A lot of players won't
enjoy it."
Brighton, in 15th place on 29 points, were due to be at home for five of
their remaining nine matches as they fight for Premier League survival,
while a relegation rival could in fact benefit if games were played across
neutral venues.
Three of Bournemouth's four remaining away games are against top six clubs -
Manchester City, Manchester United and Wolves - meaning they might be
receiving an advantage by not having to play those fixtures at the
respective home ground of their opponents.
But Souness believes, irrespective of venue, clubs will want to avoid facing
teams with plenty still at stake during the run-in, just like in any other
campaign.
Souness added: "When you're down there, fighting for survival, you want to
be playing teams who've got nothing to play for. They may have teams who
have nothing to play for as the difference between winning and losing games
can be very small margins.
"It's hard to make a calculation. When Bournemouth finished the season
brilliantly in the past, they played teams who didn't have a lot to play
for, but to get a majority on this will be very difficult.
"Whenever we get back playing... if we go back next month, unfortunately
there will be a casualty. If we go back in two months, unfortunately
there'll be another casualty. It'll be the same in three months. We have to
manage it until there's a vaccine and if we're determined to get back to
football, we're going to have to take it on the chin.
"There will be times when we'll be taking two strides forward, and we'll
take three back. That's how I see it going forward. I'm not sure you'll be
able to get all the clubs to agree."
Sunday Supplement view: How can you bend
PL out of shape?
Debating the situation on the Sunday Supplement, Darren Lewis (Football
Writer at The Daily Mirror) and Matt Lawton Chief Sports Correspondent at
The Times) feel playing at neutral venues changes the competition that is
already two-thirds complete...
Darren Lewis: "Since last week it's all moved on because the players have
now come out a voiced their opposition to it. There has been a considerable
shift in the appetite among fans as well.
"I'm very much a believer that if we are talking about retaining the
sporting integrity, how can you bend the competition out of shape? How can
you play a competition for two thirds of season when clubs are able to enjoy
home advantage and then suddenly play the final third of the competition in
other parts of the country or in Perth."
Matt Lawton: "You are already playing in an environment with no fans but if
you give away that small advantage of playing on your own pitch, and all
pitch dimensions are different, and the home comforts of your own dressing
room, if you give that away as well and then you get relegated, you can see
why clubs would be very unhappy about that.
It's a huge departure from the competition they signed up for in August.
"That is what the clubs, particularly at the bottom and particularly those
that are in danger of losing their Premier League status and all the riches
and profile that comes with that, are nervous about."
Analysis: 'Even one vote could scupper
restart'
Journalist Matt Lawton believes resistance against a restart by just one
Premier League club could ultimately result in the current season being
abandoned.
According to Lawton, the chief sports correspondent for The Times, there are
"a group of clubs" in the Premier League who are sceptical about a return to
action in the coming weeks.
But speaking to The Football Show, Lawton explained why opposition from only
one club might be all it takes to scupper any proposed restart.
He said: "I think the 14 clubs [majority vote principle] would become
irrelevant in this situation. If one club decide they don't want to play, l
think it would be incredibly hard to argue against. If a club doesn't want
to play, they have a very strong argument - especially if we go to neutral
grounds.
"The first argument is the most obvious one and that's the safety of their
players. If one club and their players are not happy about playing, and
their safety cannot be guaranteed, and l can't see how it can be
guaranteed…then a club could very legitimately argue against that
[restarting the season].
"Secondly is the neutral venues idea. It's inevitable that is the only way
they are going to finish the season. And there is a very legitimate argument
against that the integrity of the competition is too far a departure from
what they all signed up for in August.
"I think if one club decides they don't want to play, I don't see how they
can be forced into it and it would be the end of the situation and the
season would have to be curtailed."
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