Manchester United forced to abandon “Project Big Picture”
According to The Mirror, Manchester United have been forced to abandon Project Big Picture after other Premier League clubs rejected it.
United and arch-rivals Liverpool were the major forces pushing for the implementation of the controversial initiative. However, many other clubs saw otherwise in the emergency meeting held on Wednesday.
The plan is now a no-go and clubs are now set to hold an urgent strategy review. This will include a fresh bail-out offer to the EFL.
“Premier League clubs also agreed that Project Big Picture will not be endorsed by the Premier League, any of its clubs or The FA.”
The plans drawn up by United and Liverpool were backed by EFL chief Rick Parry. It included an immediate £250million bail-out to EFL clubs struggling financially amid the coronavirus pandemic.
It would have seen the Premier League reduced to 18 teams, and the League Cup and Community Shield scrapped.
In essence, the proposals would have seen the financial gap between the top-flight and the EFL narrowed. However, it would have come at a price, with complete power of English football in the hands of its biggest clubs.
The proposals also found few takers among the fans of the big six in the Premier League.
While the plan as a whole is progressive, concentrating power in the hands of a few clubs make it unfair to what is essentially a competitive sport.
This appears to be the major point of contention. According to the report, fan groups have called for this provision to be dropped so that other meritorious ones may be debated.
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Implementing the project would have seen the rich getting richer while the rest are left to pick up the scraps. With it now off the table, it remains to be seen what United decide to do.
