Football pundit Jamie Redknapp has predicted that no clubs will be relegated from the top-flight when a decision on the 2019/20 season is made.
“Safety has to come first as well, that is a major problem, we’ve seen players speaking out and they’re nervous, their families are involved as well because maybe their parents have underlying problems, so you have to be extremely careful,” he told Sky Sports’ Football Show.
“Everyone has got their own agenda, so for that reason there will be a lot of clubs thinking ‘why do we want to start again, why take that risk of getting relegated’ and then losing the wages, jobs will get cut in that situation.
“I know in Ligue 1 they’re relegating clubs but I can’t see that happening in the Premier League, I can’t see that situation because there will be so much litigation going on, it will cause so many different problems if they were to relegate the bottom three, they would go absolutely crazy and I can’t see that happening.”
Claret and Hugh say:
We are not in the habit of agreeing with Jamie Redknapp but we make him right on this one. The risk of relegation must be removed for football to resume.
That will come as a devasting blow to likes of West Bromwich Albion managed by Slaven Bilic and Leeds United whose CEO Angus Kinnear was the former managing director of West Ham. The Premier League is a club of twenty members and they are likely to vote for self-preservation first rather than splitting the members.
It is the one major compromise clubs at risk of relegation will insist upon to secure votes to restart football.
With 14 votes required to past any motion Norwich City, Aston Villa, Bournemouth, Watford, West Ham, Brighton, Southampton and Newcastle could hold the swing votes necessary for it to go one way or another.
Maybe the “Point” of season completion has more to do with the financial legal obligation, as we know that it isn’t for the benefit of supporters
Agreed
Completely pointless to watch games without spectators that are entirely meaningless
Would anyone turn on the TV for this?
Will the broadcasters try to force PL clubs to play full-strength sides? With nothing on it, I can’t see first teamers risking their health or potential injuries. Shop window for those going on the transfer list, perhaps.
Keep the premier league at twenty clubs no relegation but definitely promote the top 2 teams from the championship and then next season relegate 4 .
Must agree that if there is no fear of relegation, what is the point of attempting to play out the rest of the season. The clubs want to play the season out because they need the TV money. But the TV companies will say, we want pay for matches that are worthless. If they play the rest of the season with everything up for grabs, we will be glued to every match that’s played. If there;s nothing to play for, what’s the point. Not many will watch every game. Either the season is played out with everything to play for or the season will be void.
Completely agree.
Just hand Liverpool the League Chamionship Cup . There’s no way they wouldn’t win it anyway . Call the season null & void and leave the league as it is . Start the 2020/21 season with the league as it is with everyone on zero points as a normal season would begin .
So simple really .
Sounds simple but there will be untold lawsuits. Imagine West Brom, Leeds and any of the play off chasers just being told “never mind, have another go next season”.
The lost money involved for those clubs by being told you’re not coming up is just too big for them to walk away and accept that.
If there’s no relegation or promotion is there really any point playing the matches, it’s just a bunch of friendly matches.
If they’re going to resume then this season has to continue to mean something otherwise who will want to play anyway?