FOOTBALL’S VIDEO NASTY
Conference call ends in disarray but captains vow to stand together
THE video conference was “feisty” and “chaotic”, with about 70 people dialling in.
It opened up with PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor talking about Macclesfield, Bolton and the football family.
Premier League executive director Bill Bush took over to detail the brutal financial realities for top-flight clubs.
The 20 Premier League captains were all on Saturday’s video conference call, along with managers and chief executives who were told of a £1.1billion black hole – and why players are being asked to take pay cuts and deferrals.
Saturday’s video gathering was perhaps the most important meeting of football personnel since the coronavirus crisis began.
But there were so many people on the call, it was a struggle to make any point. Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne spoke eloquently but pressure was put on the players to bail football out.
Tellingly, after the video conference, the 20 Premier League captains held their own informal gathering, with the WhatsApp group they have set up being bombarded with messages.
The overwhelming message to emerge was they all know they earn well and are all willing to make financial sacrifices – but they want their money to go to the right places, not straight back into the pockets of wealthy club owners.
There was a commitment for all club staff to be looked after while players also want to make contributions to the NHS, charities and community groups looking after people hit by the crisis.
Liverpool’s Jordan Henderson, West Ham’s Mark Noble and Watford’s Troy Deeney were thought to be impressive and authoritative in the WhatsApp exchanges.
What has annoyed the captains is how clubs have gone to players privately to pressure them into pay cuts and deferrals.
The timing of the announcement by Liverpool putting staff on the Government’s furlough scheme could not have been worse.
The club recorded a pre-tax profit of £42million less than two months ago and got a £100m prize pot from UEFA after winning the Champions League.
That is at the heart of the matter. Players are happy to dig deep but feel the Premier League and the PFA could be doing a lot more for the football family and clubs in their hour of need.
There is anger and frustration among some of the footballers about a lack of leadership and direction from the PFA, with 75-year-old Taylor now back on the front line and actively involved, and it is understood senior players had to force the union into making strong public statements last Thursday and on Saturday, the latter stating that all top-flight stars will play their part.
The Premier League has imposed a 30 per cent limit on cuts and deferrals but clubs have already asked players to do more.
There was no concrete proposal from the clubs after Saturday’s conference call for the captains to take back for discussion – just a presentation.
The captains wanted to be able to indicate to the players where they might be going but instead it is being left to skippers to talk to their chief executives and chairmen individually.
They signed off the WhatsApp group chat by insisting they stand together and no-one should break rank.
They also decided to spend yesterday with their families and reflect on the situation, no matter what pressure they receive from the clubs. They will not talk again until today.
The players unanimously supported forming their own charity foundation, with Henderson and Manchester United’s Harry Maguire garnering overwhelming backing from teammates, as has been the case up and down the country.
But they feel there has been a lack of leadership from the PFA while clubs try to bully players.
They also feel remarks by Health Secretary Matt Hancock for them to “do their bit” have been unhelpful.
This dispute has already turned ugly – and promises to get worse.
Clubs have privately put pressure on the players