EXCLUSIVE: Sky Sports ax HALF their football coverage team in brutal cost-cutting… with long-timer Geoff Shreeves being told to take a significant pay cut if he wants to stay in the broadcaster
- Sky Sports plans to cut half of their football reporting team in a cost-cutting scheme
- The exercise could lead to the departure of longtime interviewer Geoff Shreeves
- Turmoil could jeopardize Soccer Saturday’s future after Jeff Stelling leaves
Sky Sports has suspended half of their football reporting team in a brutal cost-cutting exercise that could also see the departure of veteran interviewer Geoff Shreeves.
Mail Sport has learned that Shreeves has been asked for a significant pay cut if he is to extend his stay at the broadcaster he first joined when the Premier League started in 1992.
Shreeves is considering his options as with 31 years of service at Sky he would be entitled to a large redundancy package if he chooses to leave and may receive offers elsewhere.
The rest of Sky’s decisions have come after a consultation over layoffs in April saw six of their 13-strong squad of football reporters cut, though some opted to go voluntarily and others may be offered alternative roles.
Experienced and respected journalists, including Guy Havord, Dickie Davis, Bianca Westwood, Greg Whelan, Lynsey Hooper and Jaydee Dyer, will not continue in their current positions.
Geoff Shreeves has been asked for a significant pay cut to stay with Sky Sports
Both Lynsey Hooper (left) and Bianca Westwood (right) were dropped from the Sky Sports line-up
David Craig (left) and Emma Saunders (right) were two of the few reports to survive the cut
Emma Saunders appears to be the only female reporter to survive the cull, along with David Craig, Patrick Davidson, Jonathan Oakes, Johnny Phillips and Luke Shanley.
Sky’s decision to remove half of their football reporting team will raise further questions about the future of their flagship results program Soccer Saturday, which currently has no presenter after Jeff Stelling confirmed he would be leaving at the end of the season. Sky declined to comment.
KNIFE BUDGET CUT SHORT
Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom has been handed a transfer budget of just £20m this summer, despite the club taking a £170m windfall by winning promotion to the Premier League.
With Nigerian businessman Dozy Mmobuosi’s proposed takeover stalled and a bid from a US consortium falling through, owner Prince Abdullah intends to continue to run United on a shoestring budget while taking the majority of the Premier League’s television revenues. put in his name.
Having won promotion despite a transfer embargo, Heckingbottom is resigned to working with limited resources and his immediate priority is to re-sign players who are out of contract, such as John Fleck, Jack Robinson and Ben Osborn.
Meanwhile, Paul Heckingbottom will be given just £20 million to work with ahead of Sheffield United’s return to the top flight
KEYS AND GRAY TO STAY
Richard Keys and Andy Gray have signed new contracts to continue presenting Premier League coverage for BeIN Sports in Qatar after their previous deals expired at the end of the season.
The pair have been the faces of BeIN’s English-language coverage in the Middle East and North Africa for a decade. They returned to television after a two-year stint with talkSPORT, who signed them after being sacked by Sky Sports for a series of sexist comments.
Keys and Gray’s new contracts are considered rolling one-year deals, offering flexibility to both parties.
HANDS ON MARATHE
Leeds vice-chairman Paraag Marathe has wasted no time with a more hands-on approach at Elland Road since the club confirmed last Friday that they had agreed the terms of a full sale to 49ers Enterprises.
The American is said to have set up interviews for next week with several potential new managers, including former Norwich boss Daniel Farke and West Bromwich manager Carlos Corberan.
He has also called several senior Leeds players to reassure them that they have big plans for the club despite being relegated back to the Championship.
Leeds vice-chairman Paraag Marathe has already started his hands-on approach at the club