GARY NEVILLE HAS criticised the Premier League and its clubs for failing to make the case for a return to action.
The former Manchester United and England defender accused them of being “frightened to death” to publicly back plans to restart the season for fear of being held liable should something go wrong.
Premier League clubs met on Friday to reaffirm their commitment to resuming the campaign and are understood to have earmarked 8 June as a best-case scenario to return following the coronavirus suspension. But Neville feels there has been too much anonymous briefing and not enough public declarations.
Neville wrote on Twitter: “The PL are having a CV nightmare. They keep spouting Health First but then brief constantly “We have to Re-Start”. I’d respect them more if they said “We accept the increase in Health Risk but it’s one we are willing to take”. They won’t as they are frightened to death!”
When Neville was asked by a Twitter user what would happen if someone died as a result of the restart, he said: “That’s why we haven’t heard one single prominent CEO / Chairman / Owner or Executive open his mouth to back the re-start ! Brief / Brief / Brief ! Scared to death of the liability and blame.”
Before making an exception for Brighton as the “only club willing to take a stand”, Neville added: “It would be good for them to speak at least once. Any of them! Clubs included. They are bottling this virus on comms. Very Happy to tell us when they are delivering food parcels though.”
The Premier League announced on Friday that clubs had again confirmed their commitment to finishing the season.
A statement added: “The League and clubs are considering the first tentative moves forward and will only return to training and playing with Government guidance, under expert medical advice and after consultation with players and managers.
“The League welcomed the creation of the Government medical working group for a return of elite sport, which met for the first time this morning.
“No decisions were taken at today’s shareholders’ meeting and clubs exchanged views on the information provided regarding ‘Project Restart’.”
Brighton have held virtual press conferences during the shutdown and chief executive Paul Barber voiced opposition to the idea of finishing the season at neutral venues on his club’s official website on Saturday.
West Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady revealed more details about the plans in a newspaper column on Saturday and Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish made the case for returning to action in a Sunday Times column.
Parish claimed the return of football, if considered appropriate, would be a boost to the taxpayer, lift the nation’s mental health and could help provide a blueprint for other industries to define a “new normal” amid the pandemic.
Neville later praised Parish for speaking out after being alerted to the article by the Palace chairman but reiterated his general point.
The TV pundit wrote: “Steve I want football to return. I also understand the complexities. However it’s depressing that the PL and clubs seem to be in hiding, scared to death of communicating. No-one wants to be responsible for this one! Just in case the unthinkable happens.”
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I wonder if Ramos will issue an apology to the fans too
@samstheman: Are you still banging on about Ramos
@samstheman: yizzer never gonna let that go are yiz??
@John Connolly: are you still banging on John?
@Brian Dunne: let what go? The man got himself suspended on purpose for this game & his team concedes 4 goals & gets dumped out of the competition.
@samstheman: I sure am
@John Connolly: you go girl. Knock yourself out
@samstheman: Its been almost a year since Ramos took care of Salah and you just can’t let it go,imagine how bitter you’ll be win Man City win the league
@John Connolly: it’s plainly obvious with that post you’re the bitter one John. Why bring Liverpool into it? What has that got to do with this? As I told you the other night I’m also a Barcelona fan. Have been to plenty of games there & been to the city loads too I love the place. Besides Ramos isn’t a very popular figure with many football fans.
I suggest with your attitude you find some place nice to go & take a week or 10 days for yourself
@samstheman: Ha ha ha ha,you sound as bad a Klopp with your desperate excuses
@samstheman: Ha ha ha ha,you sound as bad as Klopp with your desperate excuses
@John Connolly: bitter boy. As well as OGS has done since he’s come in. You can even bring yourself to comment on his work. You spend all your time on Liverpool threads or on threads nothing to do with Liverpool but still bring them into it. Says plenty about you Johnny but as I’ve said before it’s best summed up as you being bitter end of story
@samstheman: keep on digging that hole for yourself,why did you bring Man Utd into it,you’re obsessed with them
@John Connolly: to highlight how completely sad you are John. A united fan who only posts Liverpool related content
@John Connolly: Do you think Ramos made the right decision getting himself banned for last night’s match?
@samstheman: You’re the one who brought up Man Utd
@The Bloody Nine: Of course not but even if he was playing Madrid probably still would have lost
@John Connolly: so why are you having this pointless argument with someone you agree with?
@The Bloody Nine: Because he has been harping on about Ramos since the champions league final last year
@John Connolly: go ahead and post what I said in relation to the champions league final John? Or I could save you the trouble, I said Bales goal was good enough to win any final. Liverpool weren’t good enough. Obviously it was a while ago, so if you have any proof of my making any reference to Ramos other than last week, fire it up there. Thanks.
@samstheman: Are you trying to convince me or convince yourself that you’re still bitter over Ramos,that’s why no one wants Liverpool to win anything when all the sh@te ye talk
@John Connolly: that’s fine John if you could show where I’ve been banging on about Ramos for a year I’d appreciate that. Thanks pal
Real Madrid and Amazing fans in the same sentence…. ffs.. laughable
I’m sorry ye are such bellends, he should have said.!!
Madrid are falling to pieces. Chelsea are the real winners though – cant see Hazard going to that team
@John:
Doubt he’d stay at Chelsea either.
@John: PSG it is so