The government’s scapegoating of footballers is designed to distract from its own failings
4 years, 9 months ago

The government’s scapegoating of footballers is designed to distract from its own failings

The Independent  

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Given the sacrifices many people are making, you’d think the first thing the health secretary could do is at least fulfil the country’s mandatory seven-day isolation period after testing positive for coronavirus, which due to “our own science” is half of the World Heath Organisation’s guidance. Or, as Gary Neville so eloquently put it on Twitter, calling players out “when he can’t get tests in place for NHS staff is a f***ing cheek!” As of Thursday, only 0.4 per cent of key health workers had been tested. There is a willingness from players to do their bit – as reflected by their individual responses to the Covid-19 crisis – but they’ve been told by the Professional Footballers’ Association to wait for a “structured and unified approach to ensure a fair response across the leagues.” The PFA have not been a lighthouse at the best of times and it is no shock that they are dithering during the worst. Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United have kept their local foodbanks stocked, while players of the league leaders have also been privately financially assisting Alder Hey and Liverpool Women’s Hospital.

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History of this topic

Man City and Premier League’s legal battle leaves alarming threat to ‘half the clubs’
3 months ago

Man City and Premier League’s legal battle leaves alarming threat to ‘half the clubs’

The Independent  

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. It was this that led the Premier League to state “the tribunal …

Newcastle won’t pay ‘silly’ money for players insists Eddie Howe amid Marc Guehi rumours
4 months, 3 weeks ago

Newcastle won’t pay ‘silly’ money for players insists Eddie Howe amid Marc Guehi rumours

The Independent  

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. open image in gallery Newcastle are in talks to sign Crystal Palace’s …

Manchester City sue Premier League as bitter battle takes new twist
7 months ago

Manchester City sue Premier League as bitter battle takes new twist

The Independent  

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Manchester City have decided to sue the Premier …

The contradiction at the heart of Leicester City’s case with the Premier League
9 months, 2 weeks ago

The contradiction at the heart of Leicester City’s case with the Premier League

The Independent  

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Leicester City already held a unique status with …

More money, more problems: Debate on Black Tax in African football returns
1 year ago

More money, more problems: Debate on Black Tax in African football returns

Al Jazeera  

For footballers, often among the highest-paid professionals in the world, ‘Black Tax’ has become endemic but the matter has usually been discussed in hushed tones or privately. ‘Black Tax’ The term “Black Tax” has its origin in apartheid-era South Africa and refers to money Black workers, especially professionals, and others with higher income, gave their parents, siblings or other family …

Daniel Levy ‘proud’ as report reveals Tottenham’s investment in local community
1 year, 1 month ago

Daniel Levy ‘proud’ as report reveals Tottenham’s investment in local community

The Independent  

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has vowed to not …

Focus on goalkeeping battle is strange – Aaron Ramsdale
1 year, 2 months ago

Focus on goalkeeping battle is strange – Aaron Ramsdale

The Independent  

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “I think because it’s one of the first times it’s happened with …

Everton set to learn Premier League fate as FFP hearing nears conclusion
1 year, 2 months ago

Everton set to learn Premier League fate as FFP hearing nears conclusion

The Independent  

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Everton’s Premier League future could go a long …

5 things to watch out for in the Premier League
1 year, 10 months ago

5 things to watch out for in the Premier League

Live Mint  

When it comes to round-the-year entertainment in football, very little compares with the travails of the main European leagues. Premier league’s spending spree: The January transfer window, which slammed shut a fortnight ago, demonstrated once again the outsized concentration of wealth in the Premier League. Manchester City’s legal troubles: Meanwhile, the world’s richest club, and defending Premier League champions, find …

Premier League anticipating years-long battle with Man City over FFP regulation breaches
1 year, 11 months ago

Premier League anticipating years-long battle with Man City over FFP regulation breaches

The Independent  

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Premier Leagues executives are bracing themselves for the …

EFL to offer clubs guidance on how to tackle poor behaviour by fans
2 years, 1 month ago

EFL to offer clubs guidance on how to tackle poor behaviour by fans

The Independent  

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The English Football League is providing its clubs …

‘There is a ceiling’: Eddie Howe hits back at Jurgen Klopp over Newcastle spending claims
2 years, 2 months ago

‘There is a ceiling’: Eddie Howe hits back at Jurgen Klopp over Newcastle spending claims

The Independent  

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Eddie Howe has hit back at Jurgen Klopp’s …

I ‘absolutely get’ the need for football reform, says new sports minister
2 years, 3 months ago

I ‘absolutely get’ the need for football reform, says new sports minister

The Independent  

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy New sports minister Stuart Andrew says he “absolutely …

What’s behind the rise in football disorder and how can it be tackled?
2 years, 7 months ago

What’s behind the rise in football disorder and how can it be tackled?

The Independent  

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Alcohol remains a factor, but police believe cocaine is increasingly fuelling football …

Premier League clubs spend almost £300m in January transfer window
2 years, 11 months ago

Premier League clubs spend almost £300m in January transfer window

The Independent  

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Premier League gross spending in January window" data-source="Deloitte"> The window two years …

Review can lead to a ‘prosperous and sustainable future’, says fans group
3 years, 1 month ago

Review can lead to a ‘prosperous and sustainable future’, says fans group

The Independent  

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The fan-led review of football governance has laid …

EFL chair Rick Parry hopes review helps lead to a sustainable football pyramid
3 years, 1 month ago

EFL chair Rick Parry hopes review helps lead to a sustainable football pyramid

The Independent  

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy English Football League chair Rick Parry hopes the …

Footballers cannot heal a fractured country on their own
3 years, 5 months ago

Footballers cannot heal a fractured country on their own

New York Times  

It should never be forgotten that before the start of this European Championship, the prime minister and his home secretary undermined the pursuit of this diverse English team by not only refusing to condemn racists but by also suggesting those who barracked the players’ stand against such inequality had every right to do so. Gareth Southgate’s answer to a question …

Neville leads calls for independent regulation in English game - Football News - Sportstar
4 years, 2 months ago

Neville leads calls for independent regulation in English game - Football News - Sportstar

The Hindu  

A group of sports figures including former England defender Gary Neville, former Football Association chairman David Bernstein and Olympian Denise Lewis has issued a manifesto calling for the independent regulation of English football. The “Save our Beautiful Game” manifesto put forward by the eight-member group on Thursday states that “football has shown itself incapable of self-reform” and seeks to address …

Man City chief Ferran Soriano wants EFL pyramid restructuring with Premier League B teams
4 years, 3 months ago

Man City chief Ferran Soriano wants EFL pyramid restructuring with Premier League B teams

The Independent  

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Manchester City chief executive Ferran Soriano has called …

Coronavirus: Roy Keane sympathises with players taking pay cuts
4 years, 8 months ago

Coronavirus: Roy Keane sympathises with players taking pay cuts

The Hindu  

Roy Keane has sympathy for the stars at elite football clubs being asked to take pay cuts amid the coronavirus pandemic. "The way I would look at it now - and I'm probably talking about players at the really big clubs, who have a lot of wealthy owners, with a lot of pressure to take pay cuts - I wouldn't …

Coronavirus: EFL clubs agree to defer 25 per cent wages in April
4 years, 8 months ago

Coronavirus: EFL clubs agree to defer 25 per cent wages in April

The Hindu  

Clubs in the English Football League agreed a deal with players' union the Professional Footballers' Association on Tuesday for 25 per cent of wages to be deferred in April. Many clubs in the three divisions of English football below the Premier League have already reached individual agreements with their squads to defer or cut wages due to the economic crisis …

Wage deferrals of 25% proposed for richer footballers in League One and League Two
4 years, 8 months ago

Wage deferrals of 25% proposed for richer footballers in League One and League Two

The Telegraph  

League One and League Two clubs are proposing 25% wage deferrals to their higher paid players for April, following talks with the Professional Footballers' Association. Negotiations between English Football League board members and the PFA were held on Monday and a short-term measure is close to being agreed as clubs desperately try to buy themselves time. Players earning less than …

Rick Parry warns League One and Two clubs that poaching players 'undermines' case for wage cuts
4 years, 8 months ago

Rick Parry warns League One and Two clubs that poaching players 'undermines' case for wage cuts

The Telegraph  

Football League clubs have been told to stop trying to poach rival players amid concerns it “completely undermines” pleas of financial distress and jeopardises moves to agree collective wage cuts. The EFL has reached a conditional agreement following talks with the Professional Footballers’ Association for 25 per cent of players’ wages for April to be deferred for clubs in League …

Coronavirus Outbreak: Premier League footballers painted as villains by government, media, says Burnley's Ben Mee
4 years, 8 months ago

Coronavirus Outbreak: Premier League footballers painted as villains by government, media, says Burnley's Ben Mee

Firstpost  

Mee said that although the players are well paid, most are from working-class backgrounds and want to give back to their communities. London: Premier League footballers looking to do their bit during the coronavirus crisis have been painted as villains by the government and media, according to Burnley captain Ben Mee. Britain’s Health Minister Matt Hancock sparked a debate last …

Solskjaer says players are 'easy target' in pay row
4 years, 9 months ago

Solskjaer says players are 'easy target' in pay row

The Hindu  

Manchester United coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insisted on Tuesday it was unfair to single out footballers over the issue of pay cuts during the coronavirus pandemic and said they are an “easy target”. England's wealthy top-flight stars have come under fire over their lack of action, with British Health Secretary Matt Hancock calling for them to take a cut and …

Premier League rights holders DAZN seek to halt payments due to coronavirus
4 years, 9 months ago

Premier League rights holders DAZN seek to halt payments due to coronavirus

The Independent  

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. DAZN said in a statement: “We don’t discuss commercial conversations but we’re, …

Premier League wage row risks undermining good work: UK minister
4 years, 9 months ago

Premier League wage row risks undermining good work: UK minister

Deccan Chronicle  

Manchester: The British government’s Culture Secretary, whose department has responsibility for sport, warned the game should be “thinking very carefully about their next steps”, as the row over player wage cuts rumbles on. Writing in the Telegraph newspaper, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said the stand-off between the PFA and the Premier League on wage cuts was “deeply concerning, especially at …

PFA chief Taylor defends Premier League players in wage row
4 years, 9 months ago

PFA chief Taylor defends Premier League players in wage row

The Hindu  

Gordon Taylor insists Premier League players are not stupid in the row over pay cuts amid the coronavirus pandemic and described the intervention by health secretary Matt Hancock as "astonishing". Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Taylor was shocked by Hancock and insists players are simply demanding clarification on where any money they sacrifice will go. His comments came after the …

Rooney says footballers are left in 'no-win situation'
4 years, 9 months ago

Rooney says footballers are left in 'no-win situation'

The Hindu  

Wayne Rooney has branded the public pressure put on players to take pay cuts during the coronavirus pandemic as a "disgrace" and believes they have been left in a "no-win situation". Health minister Matt Hancock said in his Thursday COVID-19 briefing that Premier League footballers should "play their part" during the crisis and make a contribution, comments made after some …

Coronavirus: Danny Rose criticises UK govt's call for footballers
4 years, 9 months ago

Coronavirus: Danny Rose criticises UK govt's call for footballers

The Hindu  

Danny Rose claimed Premier League players feel their "backs are against the wall" following a minister's comments about pay cuts, with the left-back revealing efforts were already being made to help the coronavirus fight. Newcastle United and Tottenham are two of the top-flight sides to have placed non-playing staff on the United Kingdom government's furlough scheme, and on Thursday health …

Townsend hits out at UK health minister for 'blaming' footballers
4 years, 9 months ago

Townsend hits out at UK health minister for 'blaming' footballers

The Hindu  

Crystal Palace's Andros Townsend has accused the British government's Health Secretary of “deflecting blame” onto footballers after Matt Hancock said they should take a pay cut during the coronavirus crisis. Read: Clubs risk Champions League exclusion if seasons are incomplete, warns UEFA Citing the “ultimate sacrifice” made by staff in Britain's National Health Service who had died from the coronavirus …

Ex-players Gary Neville, Joey Barton, Gary Lineker defend Premier League after politicians suggest taking pay cuts
4 years, 9 months ago

Ex-players Gary Neville, Joey Barton, Gary Lineker defend Premier League after politicians suggest taking pay cuts

Firstpost  

Former Premier League footballers have rushed to the defence of their profession after politicians suggested they should take a pay cut while the game is halted due to the coronavirus pandemic. Manchester: Former Premier League footballers have rushed to the defence of their profession after politicians suggested they should take a pay cut while the game is halted due to …

Coronavirus: Matt Hancock tells Premier League players to ‘play their part’ and take pay cuts
4 years, 9 months ago

Coronavirus: Matt Hancock tells Premier League players to ‘play their part’ and take pay cuts

The Independent  

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Health Secretary Matt Hancock has told Premier League …

Lineker slams Spurs decision to furlough non-playing staff
4 years, 9 months ago

Lineker slams Spurs decision to furlough non-playing staff

The Hindu  

Tottenham Hotspur’s decision to furlough 550 of their non-playing staff due to the economic fall-out from the coronavirus pandemic has been sharply criticised by former Spurs and England great Gary Lineker. “What they are doing to their staff I don’t agree with whatsoever.” Lineker said the Spurs players may take a different line to the club and volunteer to have …

Premier League threatened with extra tax on players’ wages
4 years, 9 months ago

Premier League threatened with extra tax on players’ wages

The Hindu  

Premier League clubs that use government money for the salaries of non-playing staff, while continuing to pay players their full wage could be hit by a new tax. “The purpose of the Coronavirus Job Retentions Scheme is not to support the economics of Premier League clubs.” READ: Knight has proposed a “financial redress” where the Exchequer recoups a proportion of …

Premier League clubs using furlough scheme need to pay extra tax on players' wages
4 years, 9 months ago

Premier League clubs using furlough scheme need to pay extra tax on players' wages

Deccan Chronicle  

London: Premier League clubs that use government money for the salaries of non-playing staff, while continuing to pay players their full wage could be hit by a new tax. Julian Knight, who chairs the British Government's Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, expressed his "dismay" at clubs using the government's furlough scheme which will guarantee 80 percent of salary for …

The PFA sent letters to players telling them NOT to agree to pay cuts - but is a deal in the offing?
4 years, 9 months ago

The PFA sent letters to players telling them NOT to agree to pay cuts - but is a deal in the offing?

Daily Mail  

The Professional Footballers' Association sent out letters urging players not to agree to blanket pay cuts despite public pressure amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis. Gordon Taylor, the PFA chief executive earning over £2m a year, has told players to avoid cuts He says he will fight over players' pay until he knows exact financial situation of the clubs Talks are …

Premier League accused of 'moral vacuum' as clubs cut staff wages
4 years, 9 months ago

Premier League accused of 'moral vacuum' as clubs cut staff wages

The Hindu  

Premier League clubs have been accused of living in a “moral vacuum”, with players urged to take their share of the financial hit from the coronavirus pandemic as non-playing staff begin to feel the pinch. Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy said he hoped discussions between the Premier League and players' and managers' representatives would “result in players and coaches doing their …

Coronavirus: PFA chief urges allegiance to wage cuts by clubs
4 years, 9 months ago

Coronavirus: PFA chief urges allegiance to wage cuts by clubs

The Hindu  

Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Gordon Taylor says rules relating to the financial conduct of clubs must not be relaxed amid discussions over potential wage deferrals due to the coronavirus. The PFA is talking with the Premier League and the Football League about the possibility of players deferring salaries in order to help their clubs manage the impact of the …

Coronavirus: Tottenham cuts non-playing staff wages by 20 per cent
4 years, 9 months ago

Coronavirus: Tottenham cuts non-playing staff wages by 20 per cent

The Hindu  

Tottenham have reduced the wages of non-playing staff by 20 percent for the next two months, with chairman Daniel Levy hoping players will follow suit due to the financial crisis caused by coronavirus. Read: The worst passing stats in Europe's top-five leagues in 2019-20 “Having already taken steps to reduce costs, we ourselves made the difficult decision, in order to …

MARTIN SAMUEL - Yes, players are on huge wages - but they are paid by private companies
4 years, 9 months ago

MARTIN SAMUEL - Yes, players are on huge wages - but they are paid by private companies

Daily Mail  

In Saturday's Daily Mail, chief sports writer Martin Samuel wrote about the way football's financial future would be changed by coronavirus — and sparked plenty of reaction online. I don't blame football for trying to find a way forward - the difference is meetings are public If we accept the premise football will be bust, that means Manchester City's owner …

English football chiefs set for 'difficult' coronavirus decisions
4 years, 9 months ago

English football chiefs set for 'difficult' coronavirus decisions

Deccan Chronicle  

London: England's Premier League, Professional Footballers' Association and Football League are steadying themselves for some "difficult decisions" amid the coronavirus outbreak as they try to see if there is a way of restarting the season. "The Premier League, EFL and PFA met today and discussed the growing seriousness of the Covid19 pandemic," they said in a joint statement. "The Premier …

Coronavirus: English footballers' union seeks talks to protect salaries
4 years, 9 months ago

Coronavirus: English footballers' union seeks talks to protect salaries

The Hindu  

The Professional Footballers' Association called on Wednesday for urgent talks with the Premier League and the English Football League over the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic on players and clubs. The loss of match-day revenue has hit clubs hard, particularly in the three divisions below the Premier League, and raised the prospect of clubs asking players to accept wage …

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