John Henry has issued a formal apology, in the form of a two-and-a-half-minute video, to Liverpool supporters for the “for the disruption [he] caused” with his part in the “big-six” Premier League sides’ failed European Super League plan, which collapsed on Tuesday.
[ MORE: Super League issues statement, plans to “reshape the project” ]
Henry is the first of the six Premier League club owners — and also the first from any of the 12 clubs from across Europe — to go beyond releasing a brief written statement which suffices absolutely no one.
The full video, posted by the Liverpool Twitter account, can be viewed below, but here are a few key excerpts from Henry…
“I want to apologize to all the supporters of Liverpool Football Club for the disruption I caused over the past 48 hours.
“It goes without saying, but should be said, that the project put forward was never going to stand without the support of the fans. No one ever thought differently in England. Over these 48 hours, you were very clear that it would not stand.
“We heard you, I heard you.”
…
“I hope you’ll understand that even when we make mistakes, we’re trying to work in your club’s best interests. In this endeavor, I’ve let you down.”
…
“If there’s one thing this horrible pandemic has clearly shown, it’s how crucial fans are to our sport and to every sport — it’s shown in every empty stadium.
“It’s been an incredibly tough year for all of us, virtually no one unaffected.”
[ MORE: Arsenal, Spurs apologize; PL sides detail Super League exit ]
Henry also confirmed that manager Jurgen Klopp and the Liverpool players “had absolutely no responsibility in this disruption.” The Fenway Sports Group founder lamented the fact that the players and coaches were “the most disrupted” by the project’s unveiling and the subsequent fallout.
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