PREMIER LEAGUE ‘B’ teams could be the EFL’s potential saviour according to former FA boss Dan Ashworth.
The financial implication of the coronavirus pandemic could have devastating and wide-ranging effects on the whole football pyramid according to Brighton‘s technical director.
Football in England came to a crushing halt back in March as deadly virus Covid-19 spread and the UK was placed in lockdown.
But now both Premier League execs and the Government are desperate to get play back underway and have devised Project Restart – with games set to be held behind closed doors at neutral venues.
Action is scheduled to resume on June 12 but has been met with plenty of opposition from cautious top-flight stars.
However, League One and Two both look set to be called off next week with unplayed fixtures piling up but EFL chairman Rick Parry will host a meeting where declaring the season null and void is set to be ruled out.
Six years ago, when Ashworth was the FA‘s director of elite development, EFL clubs angrily opposed plans for Premier League ‘B’ sides to take up places in the lower leagues in order to aid the development of home grown players.
But now Ashworth feels the move could happen in order to assist struggling EFL clubs counting the cost of the coronavirus.
He told The Mirror: “Everyone starts by looking at their own house. Our budgets, what our outgoings and incomings are.
“A few years ago, we explored strategic loan clubs, B teams, partner clubs, those sort of things.
“Maybe things like that come back on the table because if there is a shortage of money and everybody has to cut their cloth accordingly.”
Ashworth said football will have to become more co-operative and resourceful in the wake of the virus.
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He added: “Maybe there’s some ways we can form partnerships that we can share resources and help one another.
“Ground sharing has been looked at, artificial surfaces that can be used for numerous things from concerts to training and women’s and men’s games in the same venue.
“Maybe we become more resourceful and share those resources accordingly. There’s a great phrase… the more resources you have, the more resourceful you become. I wonder whether we’re in that state with football at the moment.”
