As the Premier League officials desperately try to figure out ways to restart the season amid the global crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, suggestions to play the remaining part of the season outside the United Kingdom have started to surface.
The first to put forth such an idea was former Manchester United defender Gary Neville. After that English agent Gary Williams, who is an Australian resident, is reportedly pushing for a scenario where the rest of the Premier League season can be played in Australia.
According to the English outlet The Sun, Williams has already held discussions with club officials and the Australian government. And both parties are believed to have liked the idea.
“I have had discussions with contacts at Premier League clubs and they like the idea. I have also spoken with government officials and they are enthusiastic. We are speaking again this week,” Williams said as quoted by The Sun.
“Everybody is safe here. The government has lifted many restrictions. We are sitting round in groups of ten, we can walk around and the beaches are open. We have had four new cases in the last ten days,” he added.
Even though the Australian government has imposed a six-month-long ban on the entry of foreigners, the country has eased the lockdown guidelines after flattening the coronavirus curve successfully. It has reported only 93 COVID-19 deaths so far in comparison to UK’s 28,000+.
Meanwhile, the Premier League had earlier extended the suspension of the current season beyond May and said it “will only return when it is safe and appropriate to do so” amid the deadly outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
However according to a BBC report on Saturday, the English Premier League officials held a meeting with culture secretary Oliver Dowden and various medical experts from sports organisations, government and Public Health England to step up the planning for football’s eventual return in the country.
However, in the meeting between Premier League officials and the clubs on Friday, no decision was taken but all the stakeholders reiterated their desire to finish the 2019/20 season subject to restrictions being lifted in the country.