Mashed Potatoes

Current arrangements can be changed. As I said above, if you haven't already done so then go on to The Guardian website and read David Conn's article on there for a well balanced analysis of the proposal . Ultimately so much of the income in English football comes from Premier League TV rights; that the PL might be moving towards recognition that the greater good is served by spreading more of that income through the football pyramid is a promising starting point.

I know what you mean but something like that could happen now. It would probably require an agreement to stretch for 20 years or so.

The football gravy train has to run to pay people's wages; what's wrong with that ? For someone falling out of love with football you post a heck of a lot on here, in excess of 15 and a half thousand times and counting.

If the EFL clubs receive 25% of PL TV revenues as the proposal stands won't that provide a significant degree of finance to preserve EFL clubs ?

It's worth going on to The Guardian website to read the article by David Conn on this proposal. He is more welcoming of it than most pointing out that the EFL clubs will receive 25% of future Premier League TV deals ; the cost of that is covered partly by a reduction in the number of Premier League clubs from 20 to 18 and the abolition of parachute payments. There will still be a shortfall to the Premier League but the major clubs will make up for this from money spinning overseas friendlies and the anticipated increase in the number of Champions League matches ; it will be the Premier League clubs outside the top 6 who will bear most of the cost. This coupled with the proposed change in voting rights putting more power in the hands of the top 6 is why I think the proposal will fail to attract the necessary 14 votes.

For the purposes of whether it passes "The Premier League" is the clubs rather than the executives who have issued the statement on behalf of the league. The required threshold of 14 is probably high enough to ensure that the present proposal will not pass.

Go on to the state of Ewood Park thread and you will see I mentioned this yesterday.

I wouldn't want Labour involved either.

Yes but I don't think that is deemed to be interference in the running of the sport.

Yes - FIFA's rules ban "political" interference in "national association statutes" so I think it is more aimed at the national team.

Those are emergency powers being used to deal with a global pandemic - and even that is proving controversial. I don't see how the government have a say in which clubs are in the playoffs.

What powers do the government have to intervene ?

As pointed out above these proposals will require 14 Premier League clubs to vote in favour. I doubt if that will happen. It appears that this is being driven by Liverpool; interesting to see what the likes of Klopp and Dalglish will say; you'd like to think they will be against it.

Racehorse Ewood Park makes his debut in the 5.20 at Newton Abbot tomorrow.

Or even Stockhausen.

Obviously you are entitled to your opinion but for me in the last three years winning the Cricket World Cup, getting to the final of the Rugby World Cup and the semi-finals of the football World Cup is pretty damn good - we're not going to win everything.

Winning the Cricket World Cup, second in the medals table at the last Olympics, multiple wins in the Tour de France, domination of the heavyweight division etc etc, - I think you are selling UK sportsmen and women a bit short ; I can't think of another time when we have been so successful.

Young men do make mistakes - nobody should be written off in their early 20's.

I've pointed out that Dolan has only made a real mark in the last few weeks so those picking the team will not have had time to form a view. Let's just wait and see.

Given how recent those successes were it's still a bit early to conclude but we've already seen the likes of Sancho and Calvert-Lewin progress. On the point above about Dolan he's played just a small number of league games. To have been selected already would have been a reflection of his reputation at Under 18 level which given that Preston let him go and no Premier League clubs picked him up was probably not that high. Let's give it a few more months before we say it's all wrong that he's not getting England recognition.

England have won both the Under 20 and Under 17 World Cups in the last three years ; I think other countries would love a "huge problem" like that.

Yes, I think you are right. Hoilett in 2012 was the last established player to move on in those circumstances.

Hope you're right.

Underlines the importance of holding on to Mowbray if other clubs come in for him.

Off the top of my head both Birmingham and QPR have sold players for big fees so they should be OK. More particularly if FFP rules are not enforced against clubs who infringe them those clubs who satisfy the rules will be able to go to court to have them enforced.