Redknapp voices concerns over foreign owners
Tottenham Hotspur boss Harry Redknapp has admitted he is concerned at how influential foreign owners are becoming in the Premier League after it was suggested promotion and relegation should be scrapped the Independent reports.
Chief executive of the League Managers Association Richard Bevan revealed the plans suggested by some foreign owners of top-flight clubs to discard the concept of relegation and promotion between the npower Championship.
Redknapp, who has experience both sides of the coin during his 28-year managerial career, has moved to lambaste any owner who votes in favour of the plan.
The 64-year-old said: “How can you not have promotion and relegation? It’s scandalous.”
“What is the league about? When the play-offs first came in in the Championship and the first and second divisions, people said we don’t want the play-offs, but they have been a fantastic thing.
“It keeps the league going. Years ago, with 10 games to go, the league was over. If you were not going to win the league be promoted or relegated then you would switch off, now everyone is fighting for something.
“It is competition, teams trying to stay up. What is more exciting than the last day of the season when teams are looking to stay up and win the championship? You have to have promotion and relegation.”
Despite Redknapp’s concern over the proposed plan it seems unlikely it will become a reality as 14 out of the 20 Premier League clubs would have to agree to the idea for it to progress forward.
Even if it does make it to that stage it could still be thrown out due to the Football Associations power to veto any proposal.
