The chairman of the Premier League is reported this afternoon as being on the brink of resigning following a backlash from clubs over its handling of the Saudi-led takeover of Newcastle United.
Sky News claims it has learned that Gary Hoffman, who took up the position just 18 months ago is close to finalising his exit after coming under pressure to quit in the last few weeks.
It was reported here a few days ago that Premier League clubs had banded together in an ” anybody but Newcastle” transfer window campaign.
And it is still being claimed that they will refuse to sell or loan players to the club which is being named in some areas as ‘Geordie Arabia.’
This has come about as a result of the human rights issues associated with the Saudi Arabian owners.
Sky claim that there remains a chance Hoffman could change his mind if a sufficient number of clubs sought to persuade him to do so according to an insider.
However, given the transfer ban the clubs look set to put on Newcastle it seems unlikely that will happen.
All 20 top flight clubs are understood to have been briefed on the situation and it seems that there may be little appetite to support Hoffman in changing his mind.
.Mr Hoffman’s impending resignation follows weeks of unrest about the decision to allow the £305m purchase of Newcastle by a consortium spearheaded by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund.
It comes at a sensitive time for English football, with a wide-ranging review overseen by the former sports minister, Tracey Crouch, expected to be published next week.
Ms Crouch’s report will recommend the establishment of IREF (the Independent Regulator for English Football), which will assume new powers to regulate the ownership and governance of professional clubs.
ClaretandHugh says: We have always believed – despite having very strong political views ourselves – that sport and politics should be kept well and truly apart – UNTIL NOW. And frankly it’s shameful that Newcastle is being run off the money associated with a group who apparently believe that beheadings, torture, making women 10th class citizens and much more is acceptable. Ok we get there’s no principles in football to speak of – or anywhere else when money is the only object that counts – but the Premier League clubs who are campaigning against Newcastle, started at the time the takeover was mooted and were all but ultimately ignored. Now things are coming more to a head and the resignation of Hoffman would make this one of the the biggest issues in its history. We are pleased it appears to be coming this far – no organisation should be made to deal with blood money. Believe it or not there are bigger issues than football.
I have got to say the hypocrisy once again shown here is quite staggering if not downright shameless.
Give me a break, dressing this up as ‘outrage’ over Saudi Arabia’s human rights record! The PL has been in bed with the Qatar state sovereign wealth fund since 2014 thanks to the overseas broadcasting rights deal with BeIN Sports (state owned).
6500 immigrant workers dead because of medieval practises in that country, which has confirmed ties to funding terrorism too. How many deaths do you think Qatar has therefore been responsible for? How are women’s rights in that country?
West Ham and every other PL club since 2014 have received money from that deal. I haven’t heard a single squeak of ‘moral outrage’ over that deal or the money clubs receive and happily spend.
You’re so see-through you may as well be made of glass.
If you want to call me a liar that’s up to you. Untrue so goodbye
It’s a good article mate but when did he call you a liar? just double standards, it you criticise Newcastle I don’t have a problem with that but where were your comments about Man City, Chelsea Abramovic? etc
As I believe every words I wrote the double standards don’t apply and this I am perceived as a liar in my own perspective 🙂
I don’t deal in double standards and anyone who doesn’t know anyone else has no right to accuse them of such. Thus it means he’s calling me a liar as I believed every word I wrote of course. We were writing about Newcastle cos that was the news story. Hoffman won’t resign cos of any of the three clubs you mention. The story right now is Newcastle so the comments were also silly, lengthy and unnecessary
As an NUFC supporter I have to say we are not completely blind to the actions of the Saudis as far as human rights are concerned, what confuses me is the hypocrisy of all the owners of the other PL clubs especially those who are owned by equally pathetic, corrupt, and similar human rights standards as the Saudis. The root of this is jealousy towards the financial power that Newcastle now have, directed towards the club by owners who wanted to create a super league, absolutely ridiculous double standards. I laugh at their stupidity.
I don’t believe the Saudis have bought the Toon for footballing reasons which is sad if true cos you are a great club. With the money they have could have bought anyone…why Newcastle? Which clubs do IO am in the picture?