Live

Repeat: OTB Breakfast

05:00 AM-07:00 AM

Repeat: OTB Breakfast
Advertisement
Soccer

Gary Neville: Premier League 'bottling' coronavirus response

Former Manchester United defender and Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville has criticised the Premier L...



Gary Neville: Premier League '...
Soccer

Gary Neville: Premier League 'bottling' coronavirus response

Former Manchester United defender and Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville has criticised the Premier League for their response to restarting football.

The English game is currently suspended due to pandemic restrictions in the UK - nevertheless, Neville believes that the league's governing body should have done a better job.

"The Premier League are having a coronavirus nightmare," Neville wrote on Twitter.

"They keep spouting 'health first' but then brief constantly 'we have to restart.'

"I would respect them more if they said “[we] accept the increase in health risk but it is one we are willing to take.'

"They won’t as they are frightened to death!"

After being asked about what would happen if a player were to died as a result of the restart, Neville said:

“That’s why we haven’t heard one single prominent CEO/chairman/owner or executive open his mouth to back the restart! Brief, brief, brief ! Scared to death of the liability and blame.”

“It would be good for them to speak at least once. Any of them! Clubs included. They are bottling this virus on comms. Very happy to tell us when they are delivering food parcels though.”

Gary Neville: play games abroad

This is not the first time that Neville has weighed in on how to finish the Premier League season - on Friday, he spoke about moving the games abroad to complete the season.

Neville believes players are understandably worried about health concerns and he feels moving the games to neutral venues in Europe could help:

"If the Premier League is serious about delivering the matches that remain in the most safe environment they would move it to somewhere that is three or four hours away that is safe from coronavirus and somewhere that has proven it can handle it,' the ex England defender said on Sky Sports' 'The Football Show'.

"There are some hotspots in Europe that could handle the PL finishing. I'm not sure they can deliver what they want to do in this country with the amount of logistical issues.

"My view on this matter a few weeks ago was if the Premier League wanted to deliver a message to the nation, as part of a package, they could have bought £4m  worth of tests and then give 20 million to the NHS to buy tests and surround it in a package that was acceptable to the nation.

"I think it will be difficult."

Download the brand new OffTheBall App in the Play Store & App Store right now! We've got you covered!

Subscribe to OffTheBall's YouTube channel for more videos, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for the latest sporting news and content.


Read more about

Coronavirus Gary Neville