This is what Phil Parkinson said about Project Big Picture, EFL bailout and what it means for Sunderland

The EFL had earlier this week backed hugely controversial proposals drawn up by the ownership of Liverpool and Manchester United.

The plan would have increased the EFL's share of media revenue generated by the Premier League, but would have also given the so-called 'big six' significant voting rights.

Fellow Premier League clubs flatly rejected the proposal, and the division instead offered a £50 million bailout to League One and Two clubs.

Sunderland CEO Jim Rodwell had described Project Big Picture as a 'very well put together proposal', though added that the club were concerned over some of the suggestions.

Foremost in that was the plan to cut the top-tier to just eighteen teams.

Under that proposal, two teams would be promoted automatically from the Championship and the third would have to play the 16th-placed Premier League side for their spot in the top tier.

Such a move could clearly have significant consquences for Sunderland's medium and long-term future, drawing understandable concern from Parkinson.

"I think Project Big Picture was a plan that got leaked earlier than intended, really," Parkinson said.

"Obviously, lower-league clubs need some sort of bailut.

I"n terms of the project going forward, to give power to a small bank of clubs, I'm not sure that is healthy for English football.

"For example, as soon as I read the bit about them wanting to cut the Premier League to 18 teams, it struck me that there would be a lot of very unhappy teams currently playing in that division.

"Then there are the teams in the Championship and ourselves who want to get there.

"To cut it [would be] a decision made purely with those five or six teams at the top in mind.

"Equally, the long-term sustainability of lower-league football is crucial, so it is a catch-22 situation.

"We're all very proud of the strength of our pyramid and something has to be done," Parkinson added.

"Money is going out terms of wage expenditure and travel expenses, but nothing is coming in. There aren't many clubs who can carry on in that situation.

"The attraction of English football is the strength of its four divisions and the many below that. The Premier League have to dig deep to help, I really do feel that. The wages at that level are astronomical, the transfer fees being paid are going up every year. "We know they have lost money as well due to the pandemic, but that's a smaller part of their revenue stream.

"They need to do everything they can to help lower-league clubs."

Clubs across the EFL were meeting on Thursday afternoon to discuss the Premier League's proposal.

With no support currently on offer to Championship clubs, the outcome of those talks is uncertain.

Parkinson said the lack of clarity on what support would be available, and how it would be distributed, was having a significant impact on the transfer market.

The window shuts at 5pm on Friday but the Black Cats boss believes the club may look to the free agent market next week, when the financial picture more generally is a little clearer.

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