Pep Clotet makes EFL ‘clarity’ demand as Blues’ slide continues

Pep Clotet has called for clarity on the situation at the bottom of the Championship following Wigan Athletic’s controversial slide into administration.

The Birmingham City head coach was speaking after his team lost in gut-wrenching fashion at Fulham, a Josh Onomah goal five minutes into added time finally breaking Blues’ rearguard action.

The result left Blues five points clear of the bottom three – at least until Wigan’s situation is cleared up.

The EFL announced on July 1 they would be deducted 12 points – but it is not clear whether that will be applied this season or next.

Clotet expressed his sympathy for the Latics but insists a clear ruling should be made.

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“In life clarity is always good, I don’t know the extent of all the rules, I just read the statement and the statement states very clearly they will get a 12-point deduction,” he said.

“But I am not an expert if that should be applied now or next season – but clarity is always good.

“Sometimes it is not easy to act with clarity I understand but it is something that football will benefit from.

“I respect the work of the EFL, I assume it is not easy, we had an example with players who were on loan and are back beacuse their season has been curtailed, I thought the regulation was clear because it is easy to apply but it just turned out to be a loophole, impossible – like a blackhole.

“Unfortunately that does not help football.

“We are talking about rules and regulations of clubs getting bankrupt for the fairness of the competition and I am sorry what happened because the last people deserving that is everybody at Wigan.

“But rules are rules, I think clarity will be much appreciated for everyone – definitely.

“But it doesn’t change my mentality because I am not looking over my shoulder, the only thing is I am seeing it as a platform, we want to finish as high as possible.

“We are only three points away from where we finished last season and we want to get to that point as soon as possible with games to go.”

If Wigan are deducted 12 points that will put them on 38 and mean Barnsley are the team chasing Blues on 41 points – eight points behind with five games to go.

However, as things stand Blues are only five points clear of the drop zone and Hull and Middlesbrough both have games in hand.