Alan Shearer has spoken to The Athletic on an array of subjects from his goal record to the differences in the modern game from when he played.
He also has touched on the recent news of a Premier League shake-up being pushed by Liverpool and Manchester United. As you would expect, Alan sees ‘Project Big Picture’ as creating all sorts of issues with fair competition in the league.
Here is some of what he said about the proposal that was revealed a few days ago:
“This has all come out at a time when a lot of clubs in the EFL are in such turmoil that they probably feel they can’t say no to it. They can’t see a way out without this money, so some of them are going to go along with it. But it’s killing competition, isn’t it? You would be signing everything away to the current top six.
“There is absolutely a need to support the football pyramid through a really difficult time and I do understand why the Premier League clubs would be reluctant just to hand over the money.
“They might want to attach conditions to that because there are a lot of lower-division clubs that were in trouble before COVID came along. But saying you’ll hand over the money if you get all of these things in return? It will kill competition.”
One of the glaring issues with this proposal is the emphasis it puts on the present makeup of the league. One of the measures is to scrap the one club-one vote rule for all 20 clubs and replace it with the nine clubs with the longest current tenure in the league.
That ignores the recent success of a club like Leicester City as well as the historic nature of clubs like Newcastle and Aston Villa. It would consolidate power into the hands of the ‘top six’, Everton, Southampton, and West Ham.
Alan is quick to point out that a club like Manchester City hasn’t always been at this level as the game has a cyclical nature. Here is another comment from Alan:
“People say ‘Big Six’, but where were Manchester City 20 years ago? I’m not saying that to disrespect Manchester City. I’m saying it because things change in football.
“We won the league at Blackburn when Jack Walker owned the club. That wouldn’t be allowed under this system because the top six clubs wouldn’t want anyone coming along with a genuine love of football, like Jack had, and trying to get his club to compete with them.”
Project Big Picture would put the English game in a frozen state where power and glory remain with the current top teams. It would hinder other clubs to forge a new path to the top or a resurge for clubs like Leeds or Nottingham Forest to relive their past successes.
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9 comments so far
Shoulders knees
Oct 13, 2020 at 11:56 AM
Comment #1Well said.
giimps
Oct 13, 2020 at 12:05 PM
Comment #2So,
what is the criteria for who is in the 9,is it how many years you have been in the Premier league since its inception, or perhap show many points accrued in the premier league,or perhaps ground size ,maybe even how may times aclub has qualified for Europe while in the Premier league……oh no, its whoever agrees to vote whichever way the top six want them to vote…….you couldnt makeit up, greedy ,greedy clubs thinking they are above the rest of the premier league.
toon22
Oct 13, 2020 at 12:11 PM
Comment #3Well said AS
Sums it up perfectly
toon22
Oct 13, 2020 at 12:13 PM
Comment #4Perry has spent literally months on this
It’s the best he can come up with to help the lower leagues ?
It’s obvious helping the leagues and doing his job is quite low down on his list of priorities
Not another deJong
Oct 13, 2020 at 12:17 PM
Comment #5Harrisons
https://theathletic.co.uk/2123960/2020/10/12/allan-sangare-liberia-seaton-delaval/
Please take note that Mo Sangare is also at Accrington Stanley
Toonces
Oct 13, 2020 at 12:28 PM
Comment #6Giimps – they are the clubs with the longest current runs in the league i.e. how long since they were last relegated
Not another deJong
Oct 13, 2020 at 12:30 PM
Comment #7Nick De Marco QC@nickdemarco_
12 Oct
The most obvious flaw of Rick Parry’s ‘Project Big Picture’ is that by locking in for ever the power & control of the ‘big 6’ the competition would become so degraded & predictable that it would lose its unique appeal, and in turn the broadcasting revenue the clubs depend on.
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And he takes a good photo
giimps
Oct 13, 2020 at 12:35 PM
Comment #8Well, IMHO, this will never see the light of day,only the top 6/9 have anything to gain fromit, the premier league will lose power,the league will be less forit and the other 14/11 clubs will deffo lose power…….why would anyone vote for it ……unlessyour in the top 6 of course….do they really want a laliga style arrangement?
Tsunki
Oct 13, 2020 at 12:37 PM
Comment #9It’s not so much historic amnesia as an outright murder attempt on the English game.
They obviously think the world is ready and ripe for the rinsing to watch WWE and NFL style walkouts by tinsel clad stars with red carpets pyros and foil chaff showers and half hour half time entertainment concerts so they can plunder overseas pockets watching the “big” teams endlessly facing off in over hyped matches.
But if they did trade our history in for the National Soccer Federation they can stuff it while we all go to grass roots footy and get our own poxy tin trophies made for our own league cup. Rather that than watch some fixed, glamourised entertainment package.
And I spell glamourised with a “U” and an “S” dammit!