Sky Sports Premier League Podcast
The Football Show - Ancelotti, Ainsworth, Barton, Carragher and Neville
22 May 2020
Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Good morning. We've made it through to the end of another week and we have a packed show for you to bring it all to a conclusion.
Chapter 2: Why did Carlo Ancelotti return to the Premier League?
We're joined by Carlo Ancelotti, who explains to us why he chose a return to the Premier League and much more. And it really was a momentous day in the EFL. Big 24 hours. We're joined by two League One managers, one in Joey Barton of Fleetwood Town, who stand to go in the playoffs, and another who
Gareth Ainsworth of Wickham Wanderers whose side finished the season in eighth if it was to be voided now but would find themselves in the playoff mix as well we know that Joey Barton wanted to carry on playing the season and his side will vote to do that but what will Gareth Ainsworth's position be on that we look forward to hearing from them and also from a man with many voices Darren Farley will be joining us later the brilliant impressionist we know he does a very good Jamie Carragher we're going to set a little challenge for him right now as we're joined by Jamie Carragher
Gary Neville and Jeff Shreves with us also this morning who's been delving a little bit deeper into all the stories for us we know Darren you'll be watching so you can do a Jamie Carragher you've got about half an hour to be working on your Gary Neville we want to hear it live this morning on the football show that is your challenge Jeff over to you okay Dave I've got the newspapers here
and another thing I want to complain about hang on hang on hang on Boris Johnson Boris Boris I've got Rick Perry it's the Premier League Sky what you need to do you need to sort this Darren the bars have sat very high the best thing about that the best thing about that viewers is that Geoff did not know that was happening that has just happened in a split second well done Geoff
Right, morning all, morning all. Really interesting interview last night on our own Sky Sports News. Substantial government bailout required. Don't forget Rick Perry said recently that he thought that the EFL and Leagues 1 and 2 needed 200 million. Substantial government bailout required to stop the clubs in the EFL, Leagues 1 and 2 going bust.
He thinks otherwise up to 10 clubs could go into administration within weeks. That is the view of the former chairman of the Common Select Committee, Damien Collins MP, and minority shareholder at Sunderland, Charles Methven. Now, Gary, I'd be interested in your take on this, obviously, as a club owner yourself, part club owner.
The pair have drafted a six-point plan to rescue football and protect community assets. I'll just give you some of the highlights, Gary, of the six-point plan. So a football finance scheme should be created by the FFA, call it the FFA, but working and backed by the government.
The funds would allow clubs to meet their short-term liabilities, but not invest in recruiting new players and improving clubs' infrastructure. Rather than these be loans, funds would be exchanged for between 10% and 49%, depending on the level of investment involved. and the value of the club. Independent directors would be appointed.
And also, at a suitable time, either a recognised supporters trust or a local authority can subsequently acquire the FFA shareholding in their club at a discount. So, in some ways, some interesting points. What do you think of that and the possibilities contained therein?
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Chapter 3: What are Joey Barton's thoughts on continuing the EFL season?
I've always called upon the Premier League to be the ones that ultimately would solve the financial crisis in lower leagues. I would not call upon government to do that. I don't believe it's the government's responsibility to save football clubs. The government, to be fair, has far more pressing things to sort out in respect of all the other industries.
There's hospitality industry, the airline industry, the construction industry, where there are millions and millions of jobs.
uh in this country at risk so there are lots of industries jeff that require government bailouts government funding that i would say probably are more important than football when you're thinking about a couple of hundred million quid when like i say the premier league have spent about five billion pounds on transfers in the last four transfer windows
So the idea of a couple of hundred million quid being required by the lower clubs is something that ultimately I don't feel should fall upon the government.
However, if the Premier League are not going to perform and stand up to what I believe is their duty to look after and demonstrate a social approach, and the government are willing to do some type of loan-based system, then yeah, I think that anything goes. Because the last thing I want to do, off the back of seeing my hometown club, Bury, fall away,
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Chapter 4: How does Gareth Ainsworth view the playoff situation in League One?
over a year or so ago now, the last thing I want to see is other clubs of a similar ilk to Bury going under. So I would support it in a sort of hesitant manner because I don't believe it's the government's job to say football. But on the other hand, if that's the only route, then obviously I would take it. I don't want to see clubs going bust.
Well, the two things there, Gary, is, A, football is a business. It's a unique business, but it is a business. It does employ large swathes of people, perhaps not the people it employs, but what it offers in terms of belonging to the community. So this actually hints at, and particularly with the thought, either recognised supporters clubs or local authorities acquiring that stake back.
So the government funds would be refunded at the end of it. That actually leans towards the social approach you talk about,
I'm not against fan ownership, Jeff, to be honest with you. I'm not against the principle of that at all. I don't understand. How could a club at League One or League Two, you know, if the fans can afford... to put that money into the football club, then they would be looking at those types of solutions now.
I think that obviously it has happened where clubs have hit problems over the last 10, 15 years, where supporters trusts have been created to take stakes in football clubs. I'm absolutely supportive of that, if that would be the case. That doesn't worry me. I think my immediate worry is about how football clubs are going to get through this next three or four months.
I do believe that the Premier League have the ability to do this. I think football can sort itself out. I don't believe it needs government approach. Yeah, it does have a massive impact. It does have a massive impact on people's lives, football clubs in local communities. But let's be clear.
The construction industry and hospitality industry employs millions and millions of people up and down this country and have far greater impact. So we can't just say the crisis in football should be dealt with without solving all the other immediate crises that are happening economically in this country.
Geoff, sorry, the main point of it is that 10 clubs could go into administration within weeks. Is that what you're hearing? Me?
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Chapter 5: What financial implications are clubs facing during the COVID crisis?
Yeah. From the conversations that you've had around League Two owners, around EFL conversations?
No, that isn't my understanding, Dave. My understanding is that where these problems really lie, I think clubs will be OK up until June 30th. because obviously you're talking... I always look at Salford because I know it in more detail.
We basically had four games left this season and we would obviously already have committed to our players' contracts for this season and we would already have known that in the summer months we weren't bringing any income in from Gates. The real problem comes, I think, where clubs rely upon season ticket sales for next season and that would start to happen probably around this moment now.
So the real issue, I think, comes probably in July, August, September if... this problem persists. The COVID crisis persists, which we think it will. Fans are not going to be in stadiums. Season tickets sales are not going to be there. Sponsors will drop away. Playing contracts that you've committed to pre-COVID crisis are still obviously in place for next season.
The clubs start to suffer really badly at that point. So I don't think it's an immediate crisis for today. I do believe it will come in a few months rather than a few weeks.
Jamie, though, given that Gary just said about football should be able to sort itself out, let me just read you from the mail this morning, Matt Hughes's piece. where he says the row over how to finish Leagues 1 and 2 could lead to a breakaway championship.
15 clubs last season signed a letter to the EFL threatening to go their own way after a disagreement over TV rights and form a Premier League 2. Leagues 1 and 2 have their own problems as well. As you know, Tranmere on your doorstep and Stevenage potentially to be relegated without kicking a ball as well.
So how much faith would you have with that type of room music that football can sort itself out? Well, to be honest, Jeff, I mean, I hear what Gary's saying and I agree when he's talking about, you know, teams helping each other. But I don't think this is a time for leagues leaving one another and splitting up. This is a time to try and if possible, and come together.
We've said for so long on this show, when deciding to talk about the Premier League, more often than not, we've talked about self-interest. And of course, the self-interest in every league up and down this country in terms of what leagues should do, whether leagues should stop now, points per games, whether they should carry on.
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Chapter 6: How are clubs managing player contracts amid uncertainty?
Everyone's got their own self-interest there. But in terms of actually football clubs and financially and keeping clubs going, I think that's when everyone should be looking to come together and help each other. So I wouldn't like to see the Championship actually... move away and make a Premier League too.
I know there's been a lot of noises in the past from, I think, the Leeds owner and maybe West Brom as well, and maybe trying to align themselves more with the Premier League. And that, again, would be just for financial. I think at times they've had maybe issues with Sky as well over TV rights and how many games are played and the money, how it's divvied up and different things like that.
But I certainly don't think it's the time for the, you know,
the AFL but I mean obviously we've got Dave here he's involved at Sunderland as well I'm sure he can give us an insight into that I'm just sitting here Jamie admiring the fact that you come in fancy dressed this morning dressed as your actual sofa Dave you're an executive at Sunderland give us some insight what's going on at League One you're asking the questions give us some answers
You've seen it all in the papers, Jamie, in the press over the last 48 hours. You're in the boardroom, you're in the room. No, we're not. We're doing it over Zoom, Jamie.
Well, what's Stuart Donald saying? What's his thoughts on it?
Well, I can tell you what Jim Rodwell, our chief executive, thinks about it all. He thinks that the season should be played on in League One, and of course we're going to say that, because like you say, it's self-interest, and Sunderland is by far and away the biggest club in League One, so it's a very hard position for Sunderland to be in, and then think about the potential of wage caps.
You're going to deny a club that has masses more in terms of revenue the ability to potentially spend that revenue. Is that how it's going to work, Gary?
Yeah, I think that I have to think at this moment in time that there is a major, major issue for players developing in terms of the reset in the game. The salary cap discussions are obviously going on behind the scenes. They have been reported, but it's going to be the biggest game changer for lower league players in the last 30, 40 years.
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Chapter 7: What is Carlo Ancelotti's perspective on managing Everton?
But the PFA, I think, are sleepwalking at this moment in time in the sense that I don't think they're recognising that the COVID crisis is an issue for players. The COVID crisis is an issue for clubs. The COVID crisis will mean that clubs will have to look for deferrals potentially or some cuts for players' wages in the immediate term.
But there is a major reset coming on players' wages in League One and Two level and I think actually in Championship level potentially if the salary cap extends to that, which I believe it may do at a certain point in the future. But at League One and League Two level, that train is firmly on the track and it isn't stopping.
And obviously, you're at a club, Dave, at Sunderland, that obviously brings in 30,000, 40,000 crowds who can spend far greater amounts of money sustainably than the salary cap. We at Salford are in a very different position in the sense that we have, obviously, an ownership structure that wants to spend more than the salary cap. But that is the...
that's what the clubs want and as I was explaining to me in my very first League 2 meeting a few weeks ago you are a mere 1.25% of the 48 clubs of the League 1 and 2 clubs and they're going to vote for it and
Can you argue with it from a point of view of what's happening, clubs going bust, clubs losing money, the COVID crisis, the fact that people think that players' wages are escalating to a level that's beyond 100% of the income? You can't really when you look at it from a sustainability point of view.
But obviously what you're mentioning, Dave, is that clubs that do want to invest more will be prohibited to do so.
I want to move on to an excellent article this morning, very well written by a very solid journalist. A ghost writer. You're a ghost executive.
Now, now, now, boys. Play nicely.
Play nicely.
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Chapter 8: How does Darren Farley bring humor to football discussions?
So was your concern that it was just going to get sort of pushed to one side or forgotten about? The reason for it was because, I mean, it would have been the, the FA cup final, uh, tomorrow. And I was, I was just actually thinking where the FA cup actually fits in and,
And listen, we know for so long now, we don't need to go over it again, where the FA Cup sort of fell with the Champions League and the Premier League becoming so prominent now. But we all know the Premier League. It's almost got to be, if the Premier League starts like it looks like it's going to, it can't afford to stop, really.
Now, it will have to stop if there's a huge health scare or something with the COVID-19. Of course, we accept that, but... In terms of actually when it starts, it needs to be over as quick as possible. Now, I'm not talking about actually rushing the games and not making it fair for teams and playing four games a week.
But I think the FA Cup games going in the middle of Premier League, this Premier League calendar now that we're going to create, I think almost stops the momentum of the league. And everyone knows we want to try and get it finished, you know, for the financial reasons that we've covered. And I think the FA Cup would almost be forgotten. And I think teams in the FA Cup
would be concentrated on the league anyway, whether that was Norwich trying to stay up, Sheffield United trying to get in the Champions League, same with Manchester United. And I think if you actually finished the Premier League as quick as possible, make sure that helps all the clubs financially, that's done.
And the FA Cup could almost be something that's done over a week, where you're actually, all the focus is on that. Every game we're all watching is the FA Cup. And even the teams involved, whether Norwich have gone down, United have made the Champions League, or Sheffield United have or haven't, whatever that may be, they can all just focus solely on the FA Cup.
And it's almost like a week of FA Cup games, like... like you'd see in the world cup where you'd have the quarterfinals on a Friday or a Saturday, the semifinals Tuesday or Wednesday, and then the final on the Saturday or Sunday.
And I just think it'd be a, I think it works well really when I was thinking about it in terms of the calendar and also probably, you know, gives the, there's all something to watch and get behind the FA cup and focus solely on the FA cup for a week.
Yeah. Agreed. Before you leave it, have you got a Jamie Carragher impression you can do for us? No, that's too difficult to take on.
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