Charlton co-owner Charlie Methven has accused Crystal Palace and West Ham of postponing the game following the Premier League shareholders’ meeting.
The Premier League confirmed on Monday that the controversial Profit and Sustainability regulations would be rewritten following high-profile violations.
Despite the fact that extra funding was proposed, the EFL received no such offer.
Prior to the conference, which was termed as a’staging’ meeting on February 29, top-flight sources voiced hope that it would be decisive.
However, the meeting ended without an offer, with the top flight clubs believing it is first necessary to devise a new financial system that will eventually replace the current profitability and sustainability regulations (PSR).
A six-year deal awarding the EFL 14.75 percent of net media revenue with the Premier League, estimated to be worth over £900 million, has previously been proposed, but Premier League clubs are now prioritising an agreement on their own financial model before engaging with the EFL.
The government has frequently stated that it wants the football authorities to reach a new financial settlement among themselves, but has warned that it may impose one on them through ‘backstop’ powers expected to be granted to the new independent regulator.
Methven told talkSPORT: “This is just a bunch of jargon words to cover up the fact that they didn’t do what they said they would do.”
“They promised the EFL a thorough offer, and they promised the government a fair agreement, but they failed to deliver.
“Their communications department has had to come up with some terms that will fool enough people and push the problem down the road. It allows clubs that oppose it to survive and breathe for another day.
“The majority of Premier League clubs are completely realistic and understand that this deal must be completed.” A small number of clubs are opposed to it, stifling growth in the business.
“There are two clubs not far from Charlton, one to the north and one to the southwest. They have just enough clubs to prevent the industry from moving forward.”
He went on to say, “The situation is fairly obvious; the Football League understands that any contract would come with conditions, with the Championship likely to adhere to a different cost control mechanism.
“It was always acknowledged and accepted by the EFL that we would have to swallow a few pills to complete the transaction.
“The Premier League offered us an agreement in September, which we agreed. We understood we’d have to adhere to a new cost-cutting strategy.
“A few Premier League clubs are dragging the industry down and driving the rest of the industry insane by just thinking about their own short-term, narrow self-interest. Honestly, everything else is just noise.”
When asked to name the two clubs that are holding things back, he mentioned two London rivals.
Methven stated, “It is on record that Palace and West Ham are the leaders of this King Canute-style movement. It is not yet clear who clubs they have persuaded to support them.
“If you speak with executives from other Premier League clubs, they are almost as frustrated as we are. They understand because they see a larger strategic picture of what will happen with the public regulator.
“It’s more possible that they’ll end up with a nightmare scenario: reconstruction of parachute payments, which would make a difference to these folks.
When asked by talkSPORT’s Jim White about his message to Palace and West Ham, Methven responded, “Grow up. Remember that these clubs, the ones they govern, were only lately members of the football league, and that in a game of musical chairs, they are in the seats they currently occupy.
“It doesn’t mean that at some point that their clubs won’t be back in the football league.”
