The EFL have 'no brains in their heads', says Barnsley FC head coach Gerhard Struber

ANGRY Barnsley head coach Gerhard Struber has lambasted the English Football League for their decision not to scrap relegation this season at Tuesday's extraordinary general meeting.
Gerhard Struber.Gerhard Struber.
Gerhard Struber.

The Austrian, who has been critical of the EFL on previous occasions, was deeply disappointed that the Reds' alternative option on ending the season - which called for relegation to be scrapped in the event of a division being unable to finish - was rejected and is angry that it has not previously been dispensed with by the governing body due to the exceptional circumstances surrounding 2019-20.

An overwhelmingly majority of 71 member clubs in all three EFL divisions formally agreed to the league's proposals for curtailing the season via unweighted PPG - incorporating promotion, relegation and a four-team play-off - if individual divisions voted to end the campaign with League One and Two clubs voting to finish the season.

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Last month, Reds chairman Paul Conway said the club - seven points adrift of safety with nine games remaining - would consider legal action if they are relegated in 2019-20 and clubs found guilty of breaching EFL sanctions are allowed to start next season on minus points.

The Reds are among several Championship clubs – including fellow strugglers Luton – who believe that any rivals who are found guilty of breaking Profit and Sustainability rules should be punished for the offences this season and not in 2020-21.

Sheffield Wednesday and Derby County have existing charges hanging over them, while Birmingham City could be hit with a points deduction if they are found guilty of failing to adhere to an EFL business plan.

Struber commented: "In this difficult circumstance when we speak about integrity and solidarity between leagues between (and) clubs, I think it's a big mirror for me about our society when I see what the EFL board and the FA board decided in the last few weeks.

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"I think this is only a topic of money and not a topic of integrity and solidarity. This is my opinion, it's a big mirror of our society and this moment.

"I think we can make a big rule where in the future, the next virus is coming. Then I think it's clear for every club and it's clear for everyone. Right now, for every club and every league, the coronavirus was a big surprise.

"It's a difficult question in a difficult time, but I think the EFL management have failed in all of the ways.

"Especially when I think about what we need in football and in sport in this difficult circumstance we need in the end no losers, we need promotion, we need a champion, I understand that.

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"Especially in this situation, we must go together, shoulder to shoulder without losers in the end, only winner. The league, the EFL board and the FA board, they forget the most important thing in sport. This is integrity, solidarity and I think this time the league, they had a big chance for a decision with other countries could look at and be a role model.

"Right now, I think it's the worst what they do. This is my opinion when I listen to the EFL board, I am always angry, I don't understand their decisions. They always speak about integrity and blah, blah, blah, in the end, it's only about money.

"This is also respect for everyone that works very hard in the club. They talk honestly. They (EFL) have no brains in their heads, this isn't respectful together, this is a decision to drop down and not a discussion at the highest level. I am very angry with the EFL board."

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