PL striker claims West Brom ‘don’t deserve’ promotion if Ch’ship season ends early
Brighton striker Glenn Murray has claimed that West Brom “don’t deserve to be promoted” if they are unable to play the remainder of their Championship campaign.
The forward’s comments closely echo a recent report from the Telegraph that suggests Premier League will look to block promotion from the second tier if it has to be brought to an end early.
And Murray has suggested that the Seagulls will support any such plan, even if the top flight are able to finish their own fixture list and a bottom three is decided.
Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: “Our standpoint is if the games get played, the worse three teams in the league get relegated.
“That is plain and simple, it always will be and hopefully it will be in this case as well.
“My only thought on that is the Championship. If we manage to play our games in the Premier League, whoever finishes in the bottom three deserves to go down, but to be relegated you need the Championship to finish their games.
“If they don’t finish their games, they don’t deserve to be promoted.”
It’s difficult to read Murray’s comments here as anything other than a player and a club speaking out of pure self-interest.
With Brighton just two points clear of the drop zone, relegation is still a very real threat for the Seagulls, and it’s surely no coincidence that they are looking for insurance policies to help them avoid it.
It’s why we’ve seen a very similar rhetoric from Norwich City sporting director Stuart Webber too.
These clubs know that they are in danger of going down, and their only hope of guaranteeing survival is to undermine our promotion bid.
Arguing for the season to be voided is one thing – and even then it wouldn’t be fair to deny us promotion if it was – but to acknowledge that three clubs could play all of their matches, finish in the relegation zone, and still be in the top flight next season, is downright ludicrous.
In other West Brom news, Exclusive: Kevin Phillips delivers verdict on chances of Saido Berahino rejoining Albion.