Owner of Nottingham Forest sparks Premier League dispute with ‘inappropriate’ statement after accusation
Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has criticized the Premier League chief executive Richard Masters for his comments regarding ‘small clubs’ in a parliamentary hearing. Masters defended the Premier League’s profit and sustainability regulations (PSR) and referred to less wealthy teams as ‘small clubs.’ This has led to charges against both Nottingham Forest and Everton for alleged breaches of PSR.
In response to Masters’ comments, Marinakis expressed his disapproval, stating that Forest and Everton are significant clubs and may in fact be larger than those currently considered big clubs. He also believes that club size should be determined by the size of their fan base and the level of their achievements, rather than being categorized as big or small. Following the controversy, the culture, media and sport committee chair, Caroline Dinenage MP, wrote to the Premier League requesting Masters to clarify his comments.
She raised concerns about the implications of categorizing clubs based on size and its potential to lead to unfair treatment. Marinakis echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of a solid supporter base and the impact it has on a team’s success. Marinakis’ comments were made in response to Masters referring to ‘small clubs’ during a parliamentary hearing.
In his criticism of Masters, Marinakis highlighted the significance of a club’s achievements and fan base, rather than being labeled as big or small. He also echoed concerns raised by the culture, media and sport committee chair about the potential unfair treatment resulting from categorizing clubs based on size.
