Speaking on a recent episode of the Football Writers Podcast, Ade Oladipo discussed Liverpool’s drive behind the ‘Project Big Picture’ proposals.
The Telegraph recently revealed that Liverpool and Manchester United were the driving forces behind the proposals, however, that Liverpool’s American owners, Fenway Sports Group, authored the project.
The proposals themself include a switch to an 18-team Premier League, 25% of the top flight’s annual revenue going to EFL clubs – with a £250 million ‘rescue package’ to help lower league sides through the financial difficulties caused by the global pandemic – as well as a £100 million gift donation ‘to sustain the Football Association’.
‘Project Big Picture‘, if it were to be approved, would also see the League Cup and the Community Shield scrapped, as well as the removal of the ‘threshold of 14 votes to pass any decision or regulation change’ in the Premier League.
In addition, ‘the nine clubs who have been in the Premier League for the longest’ – which includes Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool – would ‘dictate its running in every aspect‘.
Furthermore, the two automatic promotion spots from the Championship would remain in place, however, clubs that finish third, fourth and fifth in the second tier would enter in a ‘play-off tournament‘ with the 16th placed Premier League side.
The proposals were one topic of conversation on a recent episode of the Football Writers Podcast, in which Oladipo criticised Liverpool and ‘Project Big Picture’.
He said: “It is just about money, but what it is, more importantly, it’s about that money not stopping, that money continually coming in, and in order to do that, you have to be one of the biggest clubs in the world. Liverpool have now got to that seat once again, and they want to stay there.
“Their increase in revenue in the last four or five years has been astronomical compared to where they were, and I feel Liverpool as a club want to be in that position for a long time. This is almost the start of: ‘How do we stay here? How do we not lose that position? How do we keep this money coming in?’
“It is dangerous. It takes away what we’ve all grown up to love about football – the competition element. What Liverpool and Manchester United are doing [is] almost trying to make sure that they are above anyone else, and [that] they stay there [and that] the revenue just keeps on coming in.
“I feel like more clubs are going to jump in on this, because I think more clubs want that Premier League revenue, more clubs want to stay in the Premier League, and I think more clubs will agree with it, I do see that happening.”
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TIF Thoughts…
From Oladipo’s comments, it would appear as if the journalist is of the belief that, despite the fact that the proposals offer financial incentives to both the FA and the EFL, ‘Project Big Picture’ is actually just a power-grabbing move by Liverpool and Manchester United, and a way to ensure that the bigger sides in the Premier League retain their places at the top end of the table.