Football news - Relegation-threatened clubs deserve financial reward for restarting Premier League

First of all, though, it should be noted that football should not restart unless proportionate and reliable safety protocols can be put in place for players, their family, and the same must go for all staff at football clubs and those involved with the media covering the games.

Unless players and other employees are acceptably protected, and they feel they are being treated securely, then there is no compelling case to be made for the restart.

But let’s assume, for now, that the notion of a neutral ground, three-games-a-day jamboree in isolated camps is a workable solution. From there we can at least address the disagreements between the various clubs.

Liverpool of course want to restart the league. Let’s be charitable here, and also assume that every club is only willing to get back to action if their players are safe. For Jurgen Klopp and his side’s fans, being able to finally lift a league trophy after three decades will be a prize worth more than just money. It will be tangible proof that they are finally the best team in England again. Allowing that chance to slip, with a re-energised Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea waiting, might see them waiting another year at least.

Those below Liverpool will also be keen to ensure they receive their prize money and broadcast revenue. Manchester United, Spurs and Wolves will be keen to have a few games to tilt at the Champions League spots, rather than see the top four awarded the place in Europe by default. The rest of the league who are assured of their survival will also be eyeing lost revenue. If coronavirus means that clubs will have to forego the bulk or all of their ticket sales for the next year or two, then they will be desperate not to see any further losses.

All clubs in the top flight will have concerns. They will have to repay bank loans, meet instalments of transfer obligations and hope to receive instalments from other clubs. They will have bonuses, wages and infrastructure to repair and pay for. That goes for the bottom six.

Brighton, West Ham, Watford, Norwich City, Aston Villa and Bournemouth are all reportedly unwilling to play out the season, and are particularly unhappy at the notion of neutral grounds. This idea for the games makes sense - it prevents fans congregating outside and putting themselves at risk of contracting coronavirus. However some clubs will want home advantage as they scrabble for points. It has also been suggested that the bottom six will allow games to go ahead at neutral venues, but on the proviso that relegation is suspended.

And why not? These sides are most likely being obstructive because they don’t want to go down. With the money at stake, they are quite reasonably using everything they can argue to stop relegation, by having it struck down or by cancelling the season, because they can't face the idea of the massive financial implications and the required hardship that relegation engenders. There is, though, a potential solution once you recognise that problem.

Relegated clubs are already entitled to parachute payments to help them adjust. But the effect of dropping down a league can be so severe that clubs take more than a season or two to recover, if they recover at all. Sunderland, Manchester City and others have fallen by more than one division at times.

If the big clubs are not threatened by that, but are chasing their own pot of gold, then they should split it. Divvy up the prize money and broadcasting revenue more evenly. Perhaps you could even give relegated clubs more than those who stay up.

Make it worth their while to take the risk. Better to get a smaller slice of a pie than no pie at all. Better to eat than starve. We all know that at the heart of the Premier League is money, so there is no point pretending when it comes to the biggest crisis it has ever faced.