Premier League outed as ‘bent’ by Everton points deduction, Leicester City should be angry but not with Toffees – Martin Samuel
The points deduction imposed on Everton has exposed the Premier League as “bent” and now to be decided in accountants’ offices rather than on the pitch, according to Martin Samuel.
The Times journalist wrote for the paper’s website on 25 November that the 10-point penalty were based on a “false construct” in terms of the profit and sustainability rules, which he called “protectionist, anti-competition and serve only an established elite”, and the “real crime in football”.
He also questioned how an independent commission managed to settle on the same punishment Richard Masters and the Premier League wanted despite supposedly making their own decision, saying “imagine wanting 9.9 and getting ten”.
He pointed to how Leicester have been relegated after selling so many stars but amid the Foxes seeking compensation from the Toffees he wrote: “No wonder they feel aggrieved at Everton’s carelessness. How is that fair? It isn’t. But it’s not unfair because of Everton. It is unfair because Leicester were made to comply with arbitrary financial controls thwarting their progress.”
While expressing doubt over the process regarding Leeds United’s own possible claim, Samuel added: “Still, that’s the sort of random judgment you get with independent minds. Coming soon, a ruling on how much compensation Leeds United, and other relegated clubs, might receive from Everton.
“This will be decided by a panel headed by David Phillips KC, who also headed the commission that docked the ten points, and the commission that decided relegated clubs had a compensation claim against Everton, and represented Leeds when they were deducted 15 points by the EFL in 2007 for breaking insolvency rules. Independence abounds, as you can see.”
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Samuel sums up the situation pretty accurately, when Everton have indeed broken rules but with the context in which it happened making the whole situation seem pretty arbitrary.
In theory, the more doubt that is poured onto the outcome from all directions the better from a Toffees point of view, but how much of an effect it can have is hard to say.
With the appeal still to come and the ruling on potential compensation claims there is a lot of ground still to cover.
The protests before and during Everton’s return to action against Manchester United on Sunday (26 November) weren’t enough to spur the team onto a result as 3-0 defeat resulted from a stunning strike and a rash penalty.
But the club clearly have plenty to fight for on and off the pitch with the situation still capable of getting a lot worse if further developments continue to fall the wrong way.
Sean Dyche has got his side playing well enough this season to have not been condemned to relegation already, but if rivals at the bottom start to put together results it will become far more worrying.
In other Everton news, Richard Keys slammed the Toffees for their performance in an incredible atmosphere.