EPL

Wolves boss Nuno fears Super League formation if Premier League is suspended

By Sports Desk January 11, 2021

Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo fears another halt to Premier League action amid the coronavirus pandemic could give the country's biggest clubs the opportunity to launch a European Super League.

The English football authorities are carrying out regular tests on players and club staff, and the number of positive cases is rising, with 40 declared in the Premier League last week.

This has led to a number of games being postponed, while Tottenham will play Fulham - not Aston Villa - on Wednesday as part of the rearranged schedule.

Spurs had been due to travel to Villa Park for a midweek fixture, but their opponents requested a new date due to their players and staff either testing positive for COVID-19 or being placed in isolation as close contacts.

Instead, Jose Mourinho's side are to host Fulham in a fixture that was originally postponed on December 30 due to a spike in reported coronavirus cases at Craven Cottage. 

The rise in cases has led to growing calls for a circuit break – a tight set of restrictions, likely including the suspension of games, designed to reverse the tide of the pandemic. 

Nuno, however, is concerned about the future of the Premier League should they be forced to stop playing like they did for three months during the second half of the 2019-20 season. 

"The virus was something that we had never experienced so there were a lot of doubts," he told a media conference ahead of Wolves' clash with Everton on Tuesday. "Now, after the re-start, I think everybody made a big effort and there were protocols, meetings, decisions. 

"We were assured that, no matter what, we were playing because we only needed 14 players to play a match. Now things have changed and we start thinking about stopping again. 

"I don't know for sure what is better but I think and I am afraid that the decision is to stop football. This is my biggest fear. The schedule will go crazy. [It will be] impossible to even finish the league. 

"What I feel is that if we stop, everything will change. The Super League' will probably come, and other competitions which will help clubs survive.

"Basically, my opinion is based on the economy of the clubs, the idea that you start feeling other competitions emerging because the industry needs to find ways to survive and move forward.

"Based on what we have now, probably, if you make a quick comparison with what's happening in the economic industry, if you have a crisis, the strong will survive, what about the rest? 

"What is happening now will have an effect on the future, everybody is aware of that. Young boys are not training, playing football. I think it's clear."

Liverpool and Manchester United were reportedly approached in talks over a FIFA-backed European league last October, while the rejected "Project Big Picture" was viewed in some quarters as a cynical attempt by the biggest clubs in England to use the new realities of the pandemic as a means by which to increase their power base.

Related items

  • Former Nottingham Forest and Liverpool defender Larry Lloyd dies aged 75 Former Nottingham Forest and Liverpool defender Larry Lloyd dies aged 75

    Nottingham Forest have paid tribute to double European Cup winner Larry Lloyd, who has died at the age of 75.

    Lloyd, who also won the First Division title and UEFA Cup with Liverpool, was a key player in the Forest side which won the European Cup in 1979 and 1980 under manager Brian Clough.

    The Bristol-born defender won four caps for England and went on to manage Wigan and Notts County following the end of his hugely-successful playing career.

    In a statement on the club’s website, Forest wrote: “We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Larry Lloyd.

    “Part of the Miracle Men, Larry was an integral player in the Forest side that memorably won back-to-back European Cups in 1979 and 1980, making 218 appearances for the club in total.

    “We send our condolences to Larry’s friends and family at this truly sad time. Rest in peace, Larry.”

    Lloyd began his career with Bristol Rovers before being signed by Liverpool manager Bill Shankly for £50,000 in 1969.

    The Reds won the league and UEFA Cup double in 1973, with Lloyd remarkably playing in every game that season.

    Liverpool paid tribute to an “aerially dominant and strong-tackling” player, whose goal in the first leg of the UEFA Cup final against Borussia Monchengladbach proved vital.

    Lloyd made it 3-0 on the hour mark following a brace from Kevin Keegan at Anfield, with the Reds winning 3-2 on aggregate after losing the second leg in Germany 2-0.

    “Liverpool FC is deeply saddened by the passing of former defender Larry Lloyd, aged 75,” the club said in a statement.

    “LFC will pay tribute to Lloyd with a period of applause at Anfield on Sunday when the Reds host Brighton.

    “The thoughts of everyone at the club are with Larry’s family and friends at this sad time.”

    After two years at Coventry, Lloyd moved to the City Ground in a £60,000 deal and went on to form a vital centre-back partnership with Kenny Burns as Forest beat Malmo in the European Cup final in 1979.

    Forest retained the trophy a year later against Kevin Keegan’s Hamburg.

  • UEFA to consider increasing Euro 2024 squad sizes at meeting next month UEFA to consider increasing Euro 2024 squad sizes at meeting next month

    UEFA will consider a possible increase in the size of squads for Euro 2024 at a meeting next month.

    A number of coaches have called on European football’s governing body to allow countries to take 26 players to Germany instead of 23, a move England boss Gareth Southgate may be glad to accept as he deals with a number of injuries.

    “We have taken note of comments expressed by some national team coaches on the squad size for Euro 2024,” UEFA said in a statement released on Friday.

    “A workshop with the participating teams will be held on 8 April and on that occasion UEFA will listen to the views of the coaches.

    “Any idea in this respect will then be considered and assessed.”

    This summer’s finals is the first time since the 2018 World Cup that national team managers are having to pick a 23-man squad for a major tournament after it was expanded to 26 following the coronavirus pandemic.

    Speaking after his side’s 2-2 draw with Belgium at Wembley, Southgate said: “It seems to be (settled at 23).

    “There is one more UEFA meeting where there’s been a little bit of talk amongst some of the coaches about possibly increasing that.”

    That meeting will be part of a wider finalists’ workshop on April 8 and 9 in Dusseldorf, where Southgate will not push for 26 but will accept it if the decision goes that way.

    Southgate, who has previously said it is a “bigger skill to pick a 23”, was asked if he was in favour of a move to an expanded selection and said with a smile: “Well, given where we are now!

    “We’ve got to make the best decisions with what we know and some of those currently are going to be medical decisions.

    “And we’ve been able to get those right in the previous tournaments. We’ve been able to give people time, but with 23 that’s definitely more difficult.”

    Previous expanded selections allowed Southgate to take a calculated gamble on the fitness of Harry Maguire and Jordan Henderson at Euro 2020 as the pair recovered from injury.

    The same went for Kyle Walker and Kalvin Phillips at the 2022 World Cup as they worked their way back to fitness, with injured duo Luke Shaw and Reece James potential beneficiaries if it goes to 26 this time.

  • Nottingham Forest’s double European Cup winner Larry Lloyd dies aged 75 Nottingham Forest’s double European Cup winner Larry Lloyd dies aged 75

    Nottingham Forest have paid tribute to double European Cup winner Larry Lloyd, who has died at the age of 75.

    Lloyd, who also won the First Division title and UEFA Cup with Liverpool, was a key player in the Forest side which won the European Cup in 1979 and 1980 under manager Brian Clough.

    The Bristol-born defender won four caps for England and went on to manage Wigan and Notts County following the end of his hugely-successful playing career.

    In a statement on the club’s website, Forest wrote: “We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Larry Lloyd.

    “Part of the Miracle Men, Larry was an integral player in the Forest side that memorably won back-to-back European Cups in 1979 and 1980, making 218 appearances for the club in total.

    “We send our condolences to Larry’s friends and family at this truly sad time. Rest in peace, Larry.”

    Lloyd began his career with Bristol Rovers before being signed by Liverpool manager Bill Shankly for £50,000 in 1969.

    The Reds won the league and UEFA Cup double in 1973, with Lloyd remarkably playing in every game that season.

    After two years at Coventry, Lloyd moved to the City Ground in a £60,000 deal and went on to form a vital centre-half partnership with Kenny Burns as Forest beat Malmo in the European Cup final in 1979.

    Forest retained the trophy a year later against Kevin Keegan’s Hamburg.

© 2023 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.