Coronavirus and Football (Plus all Sport in General)

[Kenneth]

Wow, bit of an overreaction imo.

[Red_Polo]

I'm not a fan of means testing government support for virtually anything. Proper taxation of wealth is the best way to fairly account for the fact that some individuals or organisations have greater means vs need.

Selective public shaming, on the other hand, tends to just ensure that shameless people with no scruples come out better off again and again.

[Red_Polo]

This whole thing from the PFA about how players taking wage cuts would hurt the NHS is a load of shameful manipulative bull****.

[Resu]

Wow, bit of an overreaction imo.

It’s just the last drop. I’ve basically lost most interest in football anyway. LFC and this place was the only things keeping me interested. So I guess I’ll just stop spending any money on the club and leave it there. I won’t change club or anything, just stop caring.

[dom9]

This whole thing from the PFA about how players taking wage cuts would hurt the NHS is a load of shameful manipulative bull****.

Totally.

The lack of self awareness is mind boggling.

[fidget]

PFA is (as always) a disgrace but the scapegoating of the football industry as a whole is a shameless diversion tactic.
Helps that the players are often foreign and/or brown.

[fabinho]

PFA is (as always) a disgrace but the scapegoating of the football industry as a whole is a shameless diversion tactic.
Helps that the players are often foreign and/or brown.

I don't think that's anything to do with it at all as there's plenty of non blacks and foreigners in the game too. I think its more about working class lads earning fortunes for kicking a ball about.

I also think its the weekly salaries that's the issue here and the sheer number of employees earning these amounts on a weekly basis. Its far easier to visualize a salary of 100k a week as being obscene, whilst massive director bonuses go under the radar a little. People will voice disgust at multi million pound bonuses, but its yesterdays news before long. Footballers are in the news constantly. A few years ago, the company I work for rewarded its board of 30 Directors with a bonus pot of £1Billion. The Chief Exec had £130M, that would've taken a footballer on £150k a week some 15 or so years to earn. That year our bonus was £0.00.

Its easy to get sidetracked by all of this by taking sides, but at the end of the day footballers, just like top company executives and directors are all part of the problem. They're not exempt from criticism simply because they're working class, black or foreign.

Each to their own, but football has stunk for a long time, greed is the issue and far too many people at the top just push for more and more. I get fed up every year fighting alongside my colleagues for a 2% pay rise, whilst footballers agents are pushing for pay rises in the tens of thousands for their clients, whilst threatening to move on a free if they don't get their way. There are some exceptions of course, but I have a feeling that the majority aren't.

[fidget]

I don't think that's anything to do with it at all as there's plenty of non blacks and foreigners in the game too.

We'll agree to disagree but that reasoning is flawed.

[poorscousertommy]

I'll probably get shot down here but I'll put my 2 pennies in.

I really wish we hadn't done this for obvious reasons. I would love to know the amount of money the club will likely get back from the government to understand the reasons.

But ****ing hell, there are companies all over the country doing exactly what we have done to protect themselves.

Every person who works for the club is still getting 100% of their wages. That includes people who are match day only. The club is putting forward it's option to get back 80% of those peoples wages.

It has completely protected the staff. it's not laid them off like the likes of Cineworld and is still paying them unlike Wetherspoons.

Absolutely agree that this is not great for the perception of the club. Especially considering our attempts to portray ourselves as a local persons club.

My only issue with the reaction is that football in general is targeted during these times. Government officials have even targeted footballers ffs whilst Tories have been seen to be making a profit off the pandemic! If I could see absolute outrage for other companies who had done the same then I'd get it 100%. ( I mean besides the likes of Wetherspoons etc who aren't even paying their staff until they get the cash in).

I genuinely wish we had waited (if we need the money) until other clubs besides Newcastle and Spurs had done it. Everyone knows what a cunt Ashley is and how greedy Levy is. This has damaged our reputation without a doubt but I guarantee te same fans who are kicking off about this now (for reasons I agree with) will be the same people kicking off as we haven't spent £120m on Sancho in the summer.

Summary - football is a business, a very expensive business, and we are run mostly well. I wish we hadn't done this but I don't see it as badly as other people do now I've tried to dissect it in my head.







Disclaimer - I don't think we should have done it but don't think it is a bad as people say it is. I just wish we had more information on the financials to understand it better.

[poorscousertommy]

PS. It's my marriage anniversary today and I may be on my second bottle of wine and therefore exercise my right to redact that last post in the morning.

[Fivex]

No need, it’s a pretty fair assessment imo.

You forgot to add that we won’t be hearing a peep from the supporters of other clubs currently having a go at us, once their club decides to do the same.

[BobTheCharmer]

I'd hope when this is over all footballers wages are reduced on a permanent basis. The world economy is going to be knackered, peoples livelihoods gone, businesses closed and a lot of unemployment. For a footballer to then take home in excess of 100k a week would be obscene. Well it is now but even more so then.

[Irishnev]

I haven’t read this but just posting it here - an article on the situation from Paul Tompkins

[ame="https://twitter.com/paul_tomkins/status/1246832541514059781"]https://twitter.com/paul_tomkins/status/1246832541514059781[/ame]

[Red_Polo]

I'd hope when this is over all footballers wages are reduced on a permanent basis. The world economy is going to be knackered, peoples livelihoods gone, businesses closed and a lot of unemployment. For a footballer to then take home in excess of 100k a week would be obscene. Well it is now but even more so then.

Why artificially reduce footballer wages?

Just properly tax everyone who earns this unreasonable amount of money.

[Norbs]

Why artificially reduce footballer wages?

Just properly tax everyone who earns this unreasonable amount of money.

Bang on