West Ham United owner David Sullivan was among many in football unhappy with his chief executive Karren Brady’s controversial newspaper column last weekend, in which she called for the Premier League season to be declared void.
Sullivan is understood to have had words with Brady this week, not least as the first he heard of her dramatic scheme — which would involve scrapping relegation and denying Liverpool the title — was when he read about it in a national daily.
As West Ham are only out of the relegation zone on goal difference and have played a game more than second-bottom Aston Villa, Brady has been widely accused of self-interest, with Sullivan taking the opposing view that the season must be played to a finish.
England striker has lucky escape
Manchester City and England striker Lauren Hemp had a lucky escape after being left behind in the USA due to illness following the SheBelieves Cup.
Hemp, 19, stayed in America with a member of the FA medical team because she had gastroenteritis and was not deemed well enough to take a trans-Atlantic flight last Thursday. The pair flew home before Donald Trump closed the borders.
As a result, Sky Sports News staff who are still going to the studio have been given a safe route to navigate around the complex that ensures they avoid contact with colleagues at Sky News, while all visitors must take a temperature test and admission is refused to anyone above 37.5 degrees.
In common with other sports broadcasters and media outlets, Sky Sports News are suffering from a lack of content during the shutdown, leading to fears among staff that it could soon be taken off air or put on a limited timetable for the first time since 1998.
Thumb injury halts Charlton's video game plans
An innovative attempt by Charlton to provide football content for fans during the lockdown was thwarted this week. Jonny Williams was forced to pull out of a planned FIFA match against QPR’s Eberechi Eze — which had been scheduled for the evening of the clubs’ postponed Championship match last Tuesday — with a thumb injury.
Both clubs were planning to stream the virtual encounter on their websites, but Williams was deemed unfit.
QPR are so taken with the idea, though, that they hope to arrange another fixture for the much-admired Eze, who is a transfer target for Crystal Palace and Tottenham.
Leeds under fire from fans
Premier League-chasing Leeds United are under fire from fans for not extending the deadline for season-ticket renewals, which expires on Friday, in light of the economic turmoil caused by the coronavirus outbreak.
Leeds have frozen prices for a ninth year as they close in on a return to the top flight for the first time since 2004 and need the income from advance ticket sales to keep the club going during the shutdown.
Leeds are willing to discuss special arrangements with fans who are struggling financially, but say extending the deadline would be unfair on 70 per cent of the existing 23,000 season-ticket holders who have already renewed.
Kenny to swoop in for Euros
Republic of Ireland Under 21 manager Stephen Kenny is eager to take over the senior job in August, as he is contracted to do, which would deny incumbent Mick McCarthy the chance to lead them at the delayed European Championship if they qualify via the play-offs.
Kenny was supposed to take over from McCarthy after the Euros, but its postponement has left the FA of Ireland considering whether to carry on with the handover or extend McCarthy’s contract by 12 months.