Leeds United chairman Andrea Radrizzani has launched a stinging appraisal of Project Big Picture, branding recent attempts to revolutionise English football as a ‘disgrace’.
Radical new plans revealed last weekend proposed reducing the Premier League from 20 teams to 18, while scrapping the Carabao Cup and the Community Shield altogether.
The proposals were also aimed at increasing funding for all 72 EFL teams while giving special voting rights to the Premier League’s nine longest-serving clubs.
However, Premier League clubs on Wednesday unanimously rejected the proposals, spearheaded by Liverpool and Manchester United, and instead pledged to work together on a new strategic plan for the future of the English game.
Radrizzani was unsparing in his criticism of Project Big Picture’ criticising the plan’s backers for a lack of transparency while reminding them the Premier League’s success has been built on ‘unity’.
“I believe what happened is really a disgrace, and for many reasons,” Radrizzani 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 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.
“If some clubs are not happy we should all discuss it and try to find why in a legitimate and transparent way.
“If the issue is the money we can sit down and see if we can get better value, there are opportunities to create better value in the international markets where the demand for football and the digitalisation of the market is giving more opportunity and more value.
“So why not find a solution where the top clubs can benefit from their brands in an international distribution of content?
“It doesn’t need to destabilise the league and the balance. The league is fantastic and very unpredictable and that’s what makes it different from many other leagues in Europe. It is the result of many years of togetherness and we need to defend these.”
Radrizzani also criticised Rick Parry’s involvement in Project Big Picture after the EFL chief praised Liverpool and Manchester United for leading the proposals.
“More responsibility for this is with the chairman of the EFL who should not be engaging with the top clubs of another league, especially when it seems the [EFL] had the opportunity to engage with a commercial opportunity last week,” added Radrizzani, who has been Leeds chairman since 2017.
“Serie A recently received 11 offers from private equity firms. There are different models, an equity deal, a loan, a commercial partnership.
“There is definitely a change in the industry. Private equity and management support can help football past this difficult period.”
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