London: Premier League clubs are facing a fierce backlash after Liverpool became the latest club to tap into public funds during the coronavirus pandemic as players and bosses struggle to resolve a festering pay-cut row.
English top-flight clubs, among the wealthiest in the world, have come under intense scrutiny as the health crisis escalates, with government ministers warning bosses and players they should “think carefully” over their next moves.
The highest-paid Premier League players such as David de Gea and Kevin De Bruyne command eye-watering salaries, reportedly nearing USD 25 million a year. Even the average salary for a Premier League footballer is more than 3 million pound a year, according to the 2019 Global Sports Salaries Survey. European champions Liverpool, who recorded pre-tax profits of 42 million pound in February, announced their decision to furlough some non-playing staff on Saturday, becoming the fifth Premier League club to do so. The controversial move comes with no sign of a deal between Premier League clubs and players’ representatives on a pay cut. Olivier Dowden, a culture and sports minister, writing in the Daily Telegraph, said people had a right to expect leadership from football “Clubs, players and owners should be thinking very carefully about their next steps,” he said.
“Leaving the public purse to pick up the cost of furloughing low-paid workers, whilst players earn millions and billionaire owners go untouched is something I know the public will rightly take a very dim view of.”
Former Liverpool stars Jamie Carragher and Stan Collymore strongly criticised the move by the Premier League leaders. (AFP)
