Everton FFP hearing: Premier League flopped in front of independent commission claims Simon Jordan
The Premier League “weren’t particularly impressive” in their presentations against Everton in front of the independent commission last week, according to Simon Jordan.
The talkSPORT pundit spoke live on the station on 26 October and shared what he had heard from the hearing, where the league are trying to prove the Toffees have committed a single breach of profit and sustainability rules, with it emerging via The Telegraph on 25 October that they want a 12-point deduction imposed on the club.
Everton dispute the assertion that they’ve broken the rules and will make their own case to the commission, but according to the former Crystal Palace chairman it was not a strong start from the plaintiffs.
White asked (11.06am): “If you don’t throw the book at them then what kind of message is going to be sent out?”
“Well, first and foremost,” Jordan replied, “it’s not necessarily the independent commission’s job [to throw the book at anyone], it’s not the Premier League, it’s an independent commission.
“The independent commission has a KC [King’s Counsel] sitting on top of it who appoints three members to this commission and the Premier League presents in front of it.
“I understand the Premier League presented last week and they weren’t particularly impressive in the first instance. They’ve [since] gotten a little bit better in their presentation.
“So the Premier League present their case and advance their arguments, and Everton will of course rebut the position and establish theirs, and from this will come some degree of consequence.”
Flimsy case?
Questions have surrounded the alleged breach ever since the club were left “shocked” in March when it was referred to the independent commission by the league.
The club was supposedly working closely with the authorities over their spending prior to that, and have maintained ever since that they would “robustly” defend their position.
It is impossible to say with any certainty yet what the outcome of the hearing will be, and while the Premier League apparently want to make an example of Everton with a record-breaking points deduction it is not their decision to make.
The entire situation remains a concern for the Toffees until the commission presents their decision, but if Jordan is right that the case against them didn’t go particularly well it might be a positive indication for the club.
It seems so typically Everton to have found themselves in a situation where their fate is tied to various outside influences such as the 100-plus breaches alleged of Manchester City, and the threat of an independent regulator on the football authorities.
But with Sean Dyche just about keeping the team’s head above water with results lately as it is, he and the fans will be hoping there isn’t another negative bombshell just around the corner.
In other Everton news, the impact of the potential points deduction on 777’s protracted attempted takeover has now emerged.