The moral vacuum of the premier league

[RientO]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... oronavirus

It is amazing that Premier League clubs think they can furlough their staff and still pay the players in full. I suspect the backlash will come next season...

[Howling Mad Murdock]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... oronavirus

Some decent people.Hope it's used to pay the lower paid.

[RientO]

It’s a start but unless the clubs pay their own way then there will be a sense of them & us. I suspect many with season tickets at big clubs will not renew due to financial constraints of their own, but seeing clubs getting taxpayer’s money they don’t need will lead to a few questioning the dubious morals of the clubs.

[Stamford O]

As I said in another thread these clubs will somehow find millions to buy players for new season

[Give it to Jabo]

Daniel Levy: pocketing his £3 million bonus while putting non-playing staff on lower pay. Deplorable if true.

[Fanny]

Football clubs are businesses.

Why should they held to a higher moral standard than any other the organisations acting in a similar way?

[RientO]

Football clubs are businesses.

Why should they held to a higher moral standard than any other the organisations acting in a similar way?

Any business taking tax payer money to pay the staff whilst still paying the talent should be subject to same scrutiny.

[Thor]

Daniel Levy: pocketing his £3 million bonus while putting non-playing staff on lower pay. Deplorable if true.

Don’t forget that was a deferred bonus from the prior years financials plus he trousered £4m in salary in this years financials meaning spurs paid him £7m in total in this years pay packets. Nice work if you can get it. Especially getting a bonus which related to a stadium that was delivered nigh on a year late, plus the bill spiralled to close to a billion from an initial cost of £400m surely his position was under threat rather than reward such failure.

[LittleMate]

Football clubs are businesses.

Why should they held to a higher moral standard than any other the organisations acting in a similar way?

Any business taking tax payer money to pay the staff whilst still paying the talent should be subject to same scrutiny.

And sports companies have the highest wage disparities of any business in this country - and that includes the city institutions.

[EH16]

Premier league football sold its soul to money a long long time ago.

[yumyumO]

I would have thought that it is down to the individuals concerned. If players feel the need to offer some or all of their salary to charity I think that would reflect very well on those concerned. Where would monies go if they just declined payment? Back to the club?
The management will do as others at their level in other industries are doing and look after number one.
Perhaps this Event, is the beginning of a new world order and lets see how that turns out.

[Winchesterfan]

The Premiership has just demonstrated that it has no interest in anyone or anything but itself and their vastly overpaid players and directors. The government scheme, an excellent one, was rushed through in response to the crisis. With hindsight these anomalies would have been sorted out in debate and in the House of Lords. But because it was urgent the bill was rushed through .These payments rely on honesty and morality, neither of which are understood by some Premiership clubs.
I’d like to think fans will vote with their feet and not renew season tickets. Premiership clubs that continue to pay any individual more than say £1000.00 per week whilst this scheme is in operation, should immediately cancel any request for government help in paying wages and be compelled not to lay off or furlough any lower paid staff.
This arrogance by the greedy owners and management is so deplorable but absolutely typical of the disaster that continues to ruin proper football: the Premiership.

[Fanny]

Why are questions not being asked of the players who are happy to continue taking huge salaries during a time of global crisis?

If every Premier League player agreed to earn minimum wage for the next two months I doubt any of them would end up destitute whilst the salary they had given up temporarily could be used to pay the cooks, cleaners, admin staff and everybody else who keeps a football club alive.

As for those hoping that fans don’t renew season tickets next year, do you honestly think it would matter? All the money is in TV. The premier league would happily play matches in empty stadiums at 11pm on a Monday night if it meant that they could maximise TV audiences.

[Thor]

The clubs can't cut the players wages and be able to keep them tied to their registrations. If they furlough the players or pay them a percentage of their salary then the players can exercise their right to rescind their contract and walk away for free. The clubs will not allow an asset of x value walk for free. This is what it's all about.

Sue the cleaner or Garry the chief hold zero intrinsic value to the business, whereas harry kane is possibly worth £100m.

Football sold its soul to the devil a long time ago. To be honest as much as I'd love to see us in the premier league just once in my lifetime, I'm rather happy to support a real club playing real football. Where fans can relate to the players, get access to them and feel apart of it. You don't get that in the premier league.

[Winchesterfan]

The clubs can't cut the players wages and be able to keep them tied to their registrations. If they furlough the players or pay them a percentage of their salary then the players can exercise their right to rescind their contract and walk away for free. The clubs will not allow an asset of x value walk for free. This is what it's all about.

Sue the cleaner or Garry the chief hold zero intrinsic value to the business, whereas harry kane is possibly worth £100m.

Football sold its soul to the devil a long time ago. To be honest as much as I'd love to see us in the premier league just once in my lifetime, I'm rather happy to support a real club playing real football. Where fans can relate to the players, get access to them and feel apart of it. You don't get that in the premier league.

I agree with your sentiments but the day is fast approaching when these Premiership clubs will need to face reality. One day the tv money will be cut massively and owners who have loaned these clubs money will call their debt in. Clubs like MU would probably go bust if that was to happen then what will happen to the players salaries , ludicrous contracts etc.
For far too long these clubs have milked everything and made no provision for a future without tv and foreign investors.
Like you I am very happy to support a Lower league club that is run as a business. Fans matter, the players are not remote, the directors are approachable and we offer ‘real football’.
Delighted to have renewed my season card today and support the club.

[Redcard]

I’ve long thought it obscene that anyone earns these ridiculous sums for kicking a ball about. If these overpaid prima donnas had an ounce of decency they would all donate their wages to the n.h.s during the entirety of this crisis.
All clubs should cap the earnings at £10,000 a week, which would mean an exodus of top stars, so what it would still be a level playing field.
I can recall that when I was at school I was a half decent footballer and the headmaster said that it was all very well being able to kick a ball about young man, but it will not get you a living. Bloody hell, how things have changed.

[Smendrick Feaselberg]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... oronavirus

It is amazing that Premier League clubs think they can furlough their staff and still pay the players in full. I suspect the backlash will come next season...

It's not that they think they can furlough their staff. It's because they can furlough their staff, hence why they are doing it.

[tuffers#1]

Eddie Howe of Bournemouth takes a Voluntary pay cut
Along with other senior coaching staff.

Well done Sir.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52123202

[Redcard]

An example that should be followed.

[tuffers#1]

They have put staff on furlough using the governments 80% but are topping up.the wages of those employees..

[Long slender neck]

Who has?

[Max B Gold]

An example that should be followed.

Individual acts of moral behaviour are not enough in themselves to change anything. You should at least be aware of that at your age.

[tuffers#1]

Who has?

Bournemouth have

[RientO]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... oronavirus

It is amazing that Premier League clubs think they can furlough their staff and still pay the players in full. I suspect the backlash will come next season...

It's not that they think they can furlough their staff. It's because they can furlough their staff, hence why they are doing it.

Understood. To do so whilst paying the talent upwards of £100k/week may be considered outside the scope of what the government intended. And may well be challenged.

[Smendrick Feaselberg]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... oronavirus

It is amazing that Premier League clubs think they can furlough their staff and still pay the players in full. I suspect the backlash will come next season...

It's not that they think they can furlough their staff. It's because they can furlough their staff, hence why they are doing it.

Understood. To do so whilst paying the talent upwards of £100k/week may be considered outside the scope of what the government intended. And may well be challenged.

From what I've heard the PFA are urging players not to agree to club agreed wage cuts and are looking to agree reductions across all clubs in the Premier League (and possibly in the other leagues too, or at least deferrals). That's probably the hold up as far as players taking a haircut.