‘We Need More..’ – Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom reacts to Everton points deduction
Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom has reacted to Everton being hit with a ten-point deduction by the Premier League for FFP breaches.
The Toffees were hit with the penalty last week and sent into the bottom three as a result, with many people outraged at the severity of the punishment – the biggest in Premier League history.
But Heckingbottom, speaking to Sky Sports (22 November) revealed that he feels we need more punishments to happen and that while Everton will feel hard done by, the rules are there for a reason and must be followed.
“I think it’s opened the door to other sanctions which, we can’t just have one team punished we need more if there’s been breaches,” he said.
“We suffered last season from that and I think me being a football fan, I think it’s only right. The rules are there for a reason and they should be imposed otherwise what’s the point?
“From Everton’s point of view, they’re going to feel hard done to because it’s the first. It’s the biggest punishment we’ve had in the Premier League, so that will only be seen as justifiable if others follow suit with bigger punishments potentially. So it’s opened up all sorts.
“But from a football point of view, I’ve honestly been impressed with Everton this season in terms of I think they should have had more points than what they had anyway.
“So while it initially knocks them down into where they are, they’ve shown more than enough for me to show that they’re going to be fighting and be more than capable to work their way out of it. We just hope we finish above them.”
Shock
Imagine our shock that a team who are among most people’s favourites to suffer from relegation this season don’t have a problem with another team being dragged into the race.
Everton should be nowhere near this battle based on performances this season, but we were punished for something that was nothing to do with the players and punished more severely than anyone else in history.
That isn’t even nearly proportionate to the crime and while the club should be punished for breaking the rules, which we admitted to in the hearing with the Premier League and independent commission, it should be a hit that makes sense and wasn’t just plucked out of thin air.
The Blades would have been delighted to get the boost of us losing ten points as it means there is another team battling for survival as it stands, which gives them a bit more of a chance of surviving.
But Everton are galvanized and united, and we will fight until the end to get out of this race before the business end of the season and stick it to everyone happy to see us punished.
In other Everton news, “major boost” as star man set to return from injury in Manchester United clash.