Lots of Everton fans have been reacting on social media to reports by The Athletic, claiming Premier League executives are in discussions over finishing the 2019/20 season in China.
The league’s top brass are growing increasingly fearful of the prospect that the current campaign will have to be called off amid the coronavirus pandemic, and will hold a video conference on Friday afternoon with all 20 sides.
Most clubs are still keen to see the final nine games played once it is safe to do so, having been informed that the Premier League stands to lose £762million in broadcasting revenue if the term is called short.
Multiple options remain on the table ahead of Friday’s crunch videoconference, including allowing BT and Sky Sports to film training sessions after BeIn Sports and Canal Plus deferred payments to the top two French leagues until play continues.
To avoid a similar situation in England, playing games abroad is an option being actively explored, with China mooted as the destination of choice, although the idea has already been met with some resistance.
“The country that keeps getting proposed is China. It just doesn’t make any sense,” one club’s Chief Executive told The Athletic. “It is a crazy idea and I think it will get firmly rejected.
“If we were to pick up the Premier League and move it to another part of [the] world right now we’d get absolutely slaughtered. Somebody accused us the other day of being in a bubble. I feel a little bit like they are right at the moment – even though I am not, I can see why people think we are.”
The idea to play games in China has also been met with some backlash on social media.
Here are some of the messages shared…
Any spares going for Guangzhou away? https://t.co/MeEmz5EW72
— jack (@bluec0met) April 2, 2020
go to sweeden play the games there.
see job done— bob68 (@bobsixtyeight) April 2, 2020
Yeah, let’s take all the squads, support staff, families and media to play at the origin of the virus. Sure what could possibly go wrong?
— LX (@lxreilly1) April 3, 2020
Chiiiiiinnnnnnaaaaa !!!!!!! Hahahaha.
— graeme (@nsno83) April 2, 2020
“Premier League executives” are a disgrace to football in this country https://t.co/as7o5vDQfB
— Will (@WillNSNO) April 2, 2020
Absolutely disgusting if they play the rest of the pem in China . Teams should refuse to go
— Albie Donnelly (@bickfordblue) April 2, 2020
The sooner the PL realise that they are not important the better!!
— Peter O’Callaghan (@dorisgetsheroat) April 2, 2020
Totally makes sence ahahahahaha https://t.co/Nx54fT8Zwv
— Duffy 🇧🇷 (@Duffyyyy_EFC) April 2, 2020
How ironic if the season finished at the place this mess started
— Robbie Leatherbarrow (@rwl140172) April 2, 2020
HEALTH BEFORE WEALTH @premierleague
— The Toffee Blues (@EvertonNewsFeed) April 2, 2020
In other words the season is doomed https://t.co/SLIxw66kqc
— James Andrews (@SavEliiz2014) April 2, 2020
In other Everton news, the club will be made to pay for our failed January swoop should Carlo Ancelotti return for a 41-cap man.
When will clubs managers and players realise that the health and well being of every person in the UK is worth far more than football. Never mind who would or could have won what or who could have been relegated lets just realise one life is worth more than all that put together. Possibly clubs, managers and players should understand now just how ridiculous the salaries transfer fees and agents commission are and have been for a number of years and the time has come for common sense and decency should prevail and every thing should be brought back to a sensible level.