Premier League bosses 'must answer tough questions about club owners'

Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville say Premier League bosses must be prepared to answer difficult questions relating to club owners and the origins of their money.  

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has been praised for his handling of questions on sanctioned Russian owner Roman Abramovich and Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 'statesman-like' fashion.

But Eddie Howe, who was appointed as Newcastle manager by the club's Saudi Public Investment Fund owners in November, refused to comment when asked about Saudi Arabia executing 81 people in one day following his side's 1-0 loss to Chelsea on Sunday.

Asked on Sky Sports whether it is fair for managers like Howe to face questions on such matters, Carragher said: 'Yes, I think it is, with the situation and how everybody sees it and how against it a lot of people are - and understandably so.

'Thomas Tuchel has handled the whole situation with what is going on with Roman Abramovich and what's happening in Ukraine really well.

'The question to Eddie Howe on Sunday, the tone of it was, "Eddie, what are you doing working for the Saudis, are you not aware of what they do?"

'That was the insinuation, and it is a very difficult position for him to be in.' 

'Eddie Howe is in an extremely difficult position,' Neville added. 

'Tuchel has been statesman-like in the past couple of weeks, standing up and getting the balance right between understanding he works for the football club, but also that it's not right. He's gone up in everyone's estimations.

'I think Jurgen Klopp does that really well at Liverpool as well. When social or political issues come into their world, they handle them with great honour.

'Eddie Howe is going to have to do that because these questions are not going away.

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