Yahoo Movies Arsenal and Chelsea chiefs asked to quit Premier League roles over European Super League breakaway
Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck and Arsenal chief executive Vinai Venkatesham have been asked to step down from their Premier League roles as the division fight back following the collapse of the Super League.
Premier League chief executive, Richard Masters, led a meeting of the other 14 clubs on Tuesday following which they vowed to consider “all actions” in response to the move.
Buck and Venkatesham as well as Manchester City’s Ferran Soriano, Manchester United’s Ed Woodward and Liverpool’s Tom Werner have been asked to step down from their roles on various working groups within the Premier League or face being forcibly removed.
Chelsea chief Buck - whose position within the club has been branded “untenable” by the Supporters’ Trust - is chairman of the Premier League Nominations Committee and played a key role in Masters being appointed to his role. The 75-year-old is also a member of the audit and remuneration committee while Venkatesham and Soriano work on the Club Strategic Advisory Group.
Woodward, who resigned from his role at Old Trafford yesterday but is currently set to stay until the end of 2021, and Werner are being asked to step back from the Club Broadcast Advisory Group. Venkatesham also relinquished his seat on the board of the European Clubs Association as part of the failed breakaway attempt.
There was said to be a lot of ill feeling towards Woodward, Liverpool and Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy in the Premier League meeting on Tuesday. Spurs currently have no representation on the working groups and are unlikely to any time soon.
The Premier League are yet to confirm the actions taken and continue to explore further options.
In their statement following the meeting on Tuesday, the Premier League said: “The 14 clubs at the meeting unanimously and vigorously rejected the plans for the competition. The Premier League is considering all actions available to prevent it from progressing, as well as holding those Shareholders involved to account under its rules.
“The League will continue to work with key stakeholders including fan groups, Government, UEFA, The FA, EFL, PFA and LMA to protect the best interests of the game and call on those clubs involved in the proposed competition to cease their involvement immediately.
“The Premier League would like to thank fans and all stakeholders for the support they have shown this week on this significant issue. The reaction proves just how much our open pyramid and football community means to people.”
Before the close of the day the Super League had collapsed, with all six English clubs beginning the process to withdraw before being followed by both Milan clubs and Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.
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