Leeds United chairman Andrea Radrizzani labels Project Big Picture as a 'disgrace'

LEEDS UNITED chairman Andrea Radrizzani has labelled Project Big Picture as a "disgrace".
Leeds United chairman Andrea Radrizzani. Picture: Getty Images.Leeds United chairman Andrea Radrizzani. Picture: Getty Images.
Leeds United chairman Andrea Radrizzani. Picture: Getty Images.

News of the proposals, driven by Liverpool and Manchester United, were leaked last week before being unanimously voted down by Premier League clubs on Thursday.

The plans would have given the so-called big six in the Premier League a bigger say on the game’s governance, along with the three other clubs who had spent the longest in the top flight.

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The plans offered a £250m rescue package to the EFL, as well as a 25 per cent cut in future top-flight broadcast deals.

The project also asked for the Premier League be cut from 20 to 18 teams, with the Championship, League One and League Two each retaining 24 teams.

It also put forward that only two clubs would be automatically relegated from the top flight while the 16th-placed team joins the Championship play-offs in place of the sixth-placed second-tier club.

The League Cup and Community Shield would be abolished and parachute payments would be scrapped.

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It seemed the majority of EFL clubs would be willing to accept the proposals, with the £250m rescue package proving particularly tempting for clubs struggling financially amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, Radrizzani has hit out at the proposals, insisting that the success of the Premier League is "driven by unity".

"I believe what happened is really a disgrace, and for many reasons," he told The Times."I would like to remind the clubs that tried to do this via the back door and in a non-transparent way that the value of their clubs has grown significantly, perhaps four or five times their investment, since they bought thanks to the fantastic job of the Premier League executive and also thanks to the union of the clubs working together.

"The success of the Premier League is driven by this unity and the success of the clubs in working together, so if this is attacked and someone is trying to dismantle it we need to strongly defend it."

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