Norwich City legend Darren Eadie has blasted the Professional Footballers’ Association for not standing up for the health and safety of players as football chiefs search for a way to conclude the suspended season.
Speculation around a potential resumption next month is reaching fever pitch, as the game’s authorities wait for the government to reveal how the lockdown might start to be eased amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“The PFA has members which are football players throughout the country and if they decide they’re not going to go back for health and safety reasons, then that puts an end to all of these discussions straight away,” said the former Canaries winger.
“The season doesn’t restart and they go back and say that we’ll start next season as and when we can, that puts an end to everything.
“The PFA are representatives of players right from the top of the Premier League who are on potentially £300,000 a week, right down to the bottom of League Two, and they all pay the same fee every year, around £100.
“So why do they really want to question the messages going out from the PFA, they don’t care in all honesty, but the difficulty is, who’s making the decisions?
“The PFA should be standing up and saying ‘we’re not continuing with the season, our players are human beings’ and, you know what, I think fans will stand shoulder to shoulder with the players, I really do.”
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Eadie realises however that the longer football’s absence continues, the harder the financial impact will be throughout the pyramid.
“I hope football comes out of this better than it’s gone in, because I think it can,” he continued. “There’s going to be a lot of upset and financial damage, some clubs might go out of business, but that’s no different to any other business.
“I know that’s a really harsh thing to say but it has to be managed properly to come out of the other side of this better than we’ve gone in because football is all over the shop, it’s making its own rules up about bringing players back to training, they say they’re doing social distancing, but it just sets the wrong example to everyone who is at home during lockdown.”
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See the player above for more from Eadie on the latest edition of the Pinkun.com Norwich City Podcast.
Eadie was joined by Canaries Trust chairman Robin Sainty and City columnist Lee Payne to discuss all the latest issues, as well as reflecting on memories of their first ever Norwich City game.
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