Coronavirus: Brady defends 'null and void' comments after backlash

Karren Brady has hit back after she was criticised for suggesting the Premier League season should be declared null and void, saying she was merely thinking of players and fans amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The West Ham vice-chairman was accused of putting her own club's interests first in her initial comments, made in a newspaper column, with the Hammers only outside the Premier League relegation zone by virtue of goal difference.

Her suggestion riled Liverpool supporters in particular, given the expectation they will claim their first league title in 30 years should the season be completed, and former Reds defender Jamie Carragher was among those to express disdain for her suggestion.

But Brady defended herself on Twitter on Sunday, saying: "Everyone agrees that LFC deserve to win the title.

 

March 15, 2020

"The Premier League and EFL are doing all we can to ensure the season is finished. Including suspending games, isolating players, and if required playing games behind closed doors and into the summer months.

"My point was safety of fans, players, staff come first and if the remaining games just cannot be played the only fair and reasonable thing is to declare [the] season null and void."

Matches in the Premier League and EFL have been suspended until April 3 at the earliest, with most top-tier clubs facing nine remaining fixtures.

Brady indicated that she feels awarding Liverpool the title, or indeed relegating the clubs currently in the bottom three, would be unjust if the remaining fixtures cannot be fulfilled.

She added: "Who knows who would have gone down or come up if the PL/EFL games have not actually been played in full?"