Fa Chairman Greg Dyke angers Premier League over plans to cut top flight to 18 teams

Greg Dyke wants to cut the Premier League to 18 teams

FA CHAIRMAN Greg Dyke is on a collision course with the Premier League over plans to cut England’s top flight from 20 clubs to 18.

 

Dyke who believes streamlining the Premier League is the only way to improve the national side’s chances of success in major tournaments is seeking talks with the League’s executive chairman Richard Scudamore.

He will remind Scudamore, who is certain to try and block the plans, that the FA helped form the Premier League in 1992 with the original intention of having a division of 18 clubs.

It infact began with 22 and it was only pressure from FIFA that reduced it to 20 three years later.

 

Dyke is seeking talks with Richard Scudamore

Now Dyke believes it’s time to dust down the original proposal and act, giving clubs through less fixtures, a chance to follow every other European league and instigate a mid season break.

That, he feels, will help players recharge their batteries and avoid them arriving in the summer burnt out as they are called into action for either the World Cup or the European Championships.

The Bundesliga operates with 18 clubs while Spain, Italy and France are the same as England with a 20 team set up.

 

A slimmer league suits the managers of the bigger clubs because it also eases the strain on their European commitments but the smaller clubs will be anxious for the Premier League to be retained in its current format, offering them a better chance of staying in it.

Scudamore will quickly point to a new record breaking TV deal which comes into force in August for three seasons – tied in with 20 clubs.

He will also tell Dyke that if he is worried about fixture congestion then he should look at scrapping FA Cup replays.