Simon Jordan has criticised the rules governing spending in the Premier League and EFL, slamming as “pathetic” the efforts of some clubs to stay in the top flight and demanding that help be given to promoted sides to make them more competitive.
Citing Nottingham Forest, the pundit and former Crystal Palace owner insisted that some of the laws and regulations governing the top two tiers of the game “aren't right”.
He claimed the Reds had been "disadvantaged" on winning promotion in May 2022, adding: “How can it be that they have less ability to compete than teams already in the Premier League because they're allowed less losses from the Championship? How can that be right?"
Jordan's comments came after last night’s games left Ipswich, Leicester and Southampton deep in trouble in the bottom three of the Premier League on 20, 17 and 10 points respectively.
Jordan told TalkSport listeners: “The points totals that these promoted teams are bringing in are pathetic. Twenty points after 30 games is pathetic.
“Getting relegated with sub 30 points is a very poor return. If you look at Southampton, on 10 points now, and you look at the other two sides and what they're on, these are poor returns.
“It used to be that teams were getting relegated with 33, 34, 35 points, but now they're getting relegated with 26 points and God knows whatever else.
“I don't know what this tells you about what they're doing inside those clubs, but I don't think it's just the case that the Premier League has got more competitive.”
Explaining what he thinks can be done to help the likes of Leicester, who lost at Manchester City on Wednesday, Ipswich Town, 2-1 winners at Bournemouth, and Southampton, who drew 1-1 with Crystal Palace, he added: “I want to see the make-up of the division change, but I also think some of the laws and regulations aren't right.
“I don't want a closed shop so we know who's going to be in this division - three go up, three go down, three go up, three go down.
“We've seen Forest stay up. We've seen Bournemouth go back up and stay up. We've seen other sides achieve this. I don't want the status quo.
“And it is not catastrophic as it is because we've already got this phenomenal league that's competing all over the season now. There's jeopardy in every fixture almost up until the last kick of a ball.
“But I do think that teams going into the Premier League have got to be given more help.”
Forest narrowly avoided relegation last season, despite being hit with a points deduction for breaching spending rules. But this term they are third in the top-flight table and one of the favourites to qualify for Champions League football next season.
Jordan explained: “Nottingham Forest were very fortunate. They stayed up by the skin of their teeth and one of the reasons why they were disadvantaged was because they were only allowed to carry a certain amount of losses from the Championship.
“How can it be that they have less ability to compete than teams already in the Premier League because they're allowed less losses from the Championship? How can that be right?
“In fact, teams getting promoted should be allowed to make bigger losses if they choose to, investing in their team's ability to stay in the Premier League rather than lesser losses.
“I think there’s a balancing act between doing that and putting the club at risk, but when you’ve got an owner like (Forest chief) Evangelos Marikakis, and when you’ve got a situation where you come up and you are told you are only allowed to have £68m of losses over the last three years while a Premier League club that's been here forever and a day are allowed to have £105, how can that be fair?
“How can that be a meritocracy so that teams coming into the Premier League that are are going to change the mix and keep it fresher, keep the idea of meritocracy being at the centre of getting to the Premier League - not just going there, having a little visit and waving goodbye at the first opportunity?”
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