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Frank Lampard says he believes the Premier League will come to the aid of affected EFL clubs, with the English game under increasing pressure from the coronavirus.
Insisting that the big clubs “have hearts”, the Chelsea manager called for a “conversation” about financial support for the pyramid of football and grassroots football as the prospect of fans returning to games grows more distant. due to increased infections.
Chelsea will play Barnsley in the third round of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night and Lampard confirmed that his club had paid for the Championship team to test their players for Covid-19 before the match.
With Leyton Orient already forced to postpone his match against Tottenham due to multiple positive tests, and West Ham’s David Moyes testing positive minutes before his team’s game with Hull on Tuesday, both sides are awaiting the results.
“In football, if you talk about how Premier League clubs can help those lower down in the leagues, we have paid for trials for Barnsley,” Lampard said. “It is a sign that a Premier League club is doing the right thing.
“I think it is important that the Premier League as a collective seeks to support the EFL, the lower leagues and grassroots football, absolutely.
“That is the basis of why we are all here. I started and [a lot] of young players started in the Sunday league. I have managed in the Championship. I understand a lot of the difficulties that clubs are having, so I think there can certainly be a conversation.
“I can’t be too political because I don’t know enough about numbers, but I think Premier League and Premier League clubs have hearts. They understand [the situation] and I am confident that as we move forward, they will make positive moves on that front. “
Sean Dyche, however, offered a counterpoint to Lampard’s views. The Burnley manager, speaking ahead of his team’s Carabao Cup tie at Millwall, questioned the precedent that a bailout would set and advocated letting market forces decide the outcome.
“If the Premier League can do their bit to improve the chances that other teams survive, and when necessary, possibly intervene,” Dyche said. “But if you’re going to apply that rule of thumb, does that mean all the incredibly successful hedge fund managers are going to leak that to the less successful hedge fund managers?
“There are many different companies that generate huge sums of money that could therefore protect similar but lower lines of business. If you are going to apply it to football, I think you have to apply it throughout the country for all and all companies ”.
