Man United’s Ratcliffe ‘has the power’ to force Premier League U-turn – Wyness
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness has urged Man United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe to “lobby other Premier League clubs” to stop a “legal influx” in the English game.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, the 66-year-old – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – claimed the British billionaire should be talking to other sides behind the scenes to force a U-turn on the issue rather than making public statements on the issue.
Man City are the latest side to become involved in a legal fight with the Premier League, claiming the rules over Associated Party Transactions (APT) are unlawful.
Speaking to Bloomberg (20 June), Ratcliffe claimed: “the Premier League is going to finish up spending more time in court than it is thinking about what’s good for the league.”
He also rejected the potential introduction of an independent government regulator for English football, which was backed by the Labour Party – who are expected to gain power at next week’s general election.
Ratcliffe purchased a 28% stake in Man United earlier this year and has since been outspoken in the media about the state of the Premier League, with Everton and Nottingham Forest among the other sides involved in legal fights in recent months.
Wyness urges Man United to fight Man City by ‘lobbying’ other Premier League sides
Wyness accused other top-flight sides of “picking fights for the benefit of their pocketbook”.
He told Football Insider‘s Insider Track podcast: “This is a very big, very important issue.
“It’s important that this legal side of football regulation is put in the shade. It’s good that he’s bringing this up, but it should be done in Premier League meetings rather than in public.
“He’s got the power now to hold votes and lobby other clubs, and that’s where it should be done – not in public.
“There’s got to be some action, and the clubs have got to be clever to stop this legal influx.
“Some clubs are picking fights just for the benefit of their pocketbook.”
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