da realsbet： Brighton’s Chief Executive Paul Barber has proposed the prospect of the Premier League expanding to feature 22 teams next season, per BBC Sport.
What’s the word?
da blaze casino： The competition has been suspended until April 3rd, with the next steps yet to be decided.
There is a debate to be had over whether the league could be declared null and void if it is unable to resume in the coming months, but Barber feels that steps must be taken to ensure that fixtures are completed.
He accepts that it would “unjust” for Liverpool not to be awarded the trophy – they lead the league by 25 points – but has suggested that the placings could be frozen, with no relegation, and the top two teams from the Championship promoted.
That would mean promotion for both Leeds United and West Bromwich Albion.
He said: “If we were to freeze the league it would be incredibly unjust for Liverpool to not be awarded the title, because everybody in the game appreciates what a fantastic season they have had. Equally it would be unjust for teams to be relegated with nine or 10 games to go in the Premier League.
“I think it’s a possible option to leave the 20 teams in the league as it is but bring the top two in the Championship up.
“It gives us a larger league, with four relegation places next season and then two teams coming up again. It has some merit but there are a lot of issues to be worked through.
“If we can’t complete the season we have to look at radical solutions to get over a short-term hump, as it is.”
As good an option as any
This could work.
But, at the same time, nobody seems to know what will be happening.
There is the option of potentially attempting to restart the league when everything is safe.
But if that isn’t an option, then allowing Leeds and West Brom to come up – the former are seven points clear of the play-offs, while the Baggies are six clear – seems to be a sensible way of resolving the current crisis.
Where is he from?! Can you name which obscure countries these famous players have represented?
However, it could well lead to legal challenges from those who can still mathematically achieve automatic promotion from the Championship. At present, Marcelo Bielsa and Slaven Bilic’s sides face challenges from Fulham, Brentford, Nottingham Forest and Preston who are all in the playoff places.
It remains to be seen if Barber is listened to; such a plan has problems but, at the same time, so does pretty much every other alternative that isn’t concluding the season normally.
Meanwhile, Liverpool deserve one thing amid the Premier League’s suspension!