Gary Hoffman to step down as chairman of Premier League in January 2022

Reuters report that the undercurrent building after the Saudi Arabian-backed takeover of New Castle put Hoffman under severe pressure.

The English top-flight league’s chairman Gary Hoffman is set to step down from his position by the end of January 2022.  The Premier League confirmed this news on Wednesday. Reuters report that the undercurrent building after the Saudi Arabian-backed takeover of New Castle put Hoffman under severe pressure. As a result, the 61-year-old decided to call it quits only 19 months after his appointment.

The takeover of Newcastle caused a significant stir in Premier League in the recent month. Several teams opposed the decision to be deemed as clear. As a result, 18 of the 20 clubs later voted in favor of putting a temporary ban on allowing teams to agree to sponsorship deals with companies connected with their owners.

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Newcastle takeover was not only the only significant turbulence faced by Hoffman in his short sting. He was also in charge during the COVID-19 pandemic, which was posed different sorts of challenges. Simultaneously, Hoffman also had to endure through the Super League saga, in which six major Premier League clubs were involved.

Hoffman put out a stament on his departure in which he said, “It has been a privilege to lead the Premier League through the last two seasons – when the spirit of the English football has been more important than ever. Now I have decided the time is right for me to stand aside to allow new leadership to steer the league through its new exciting phase,” reports Reuters.