Foster slams County for axing 14 players
Foster accuses County of ‘panic’ in axing 14 players
RICHARD FOSTER last night slammed Ross County for snubbing an opportunity to retain 14 axed players on the Government furlough scheme. Players’ union PFA Scotland have urged cash-strapped clubs to fund short-term contract extensions for released players via the job retention programme. As County followed Dunfermline in making brutal cuts to their squad, however, an angry Foster accused the Staggies of adopting a ‘short-sighted’ outlook. One of four first-team players released along with Lewis
Spence, Declan McManus and Sean Kelly, the former Aberdeen and Rangers defender insists his main concern is for the ten academy kids cast adrift, telling
Sportsmail: ‘I am angry. I am angry that these decisions are being made and impacting on so many lives negatively. ‘And they are being made now when we have very little knowledge of what’s going
to happen. It’s a panic measure. Something happens and they leap straight to the worst-case scenario.
‘One of the guys on the committee seeking a vaccine is Professor Adrian Hill and he suggested that by September they will have a vaccine and there is a 50-per-cent chance it will work. Either that or the virus won’t be here any more.
‘He is saying this now at the end of May. But, if you go to June or July, his opinion then will be much more informed and we will have a much greater idea of the lie of the land.
‘So why not postpone releasing players — at no cost to yourself — and make decisions from a more informed standpoint?
‘Listen, you might still have to get rid of all your players. But at least you give yourself an opportunity to make an informed decision.
‘You either listen to the advice and furlough your players to keep them in work. Or you believe that the players don’t deserve to be furloughed.
‘I don’t believe there is any middle ground or grey area. It’s black and white.
‘You either furlough your players or you’re happy to have them receive no income for the next two months.’
One of the clubs criticised for releasing 17 players without offering a furlough extension, Dunfermline took advice from professional advisors. Chairmen fear HMRC will pursue repayment of the money at a later date and clubs want PFA Scotland to provide an indemnity against future action from the taxman.
‘I have several issues with that point,’ said Foster. ‘Firstly, if you go onto the HMRC website and look at the guidance for fixed-term contracts, it says you are able to extend the contract of your employee in order for them to qualify for the job retention scheme.
‘Secondly, it seems as if someone has gone out of their way to find a way to not furlough the players.
‘But it seems that the first reaction of football clubs is to say: “Right, how do we spin this so we can’t put them on furlough?”
Married to the successful musician Amy Macdonald, 34-year-old Foster hopes to find another club and continue playing. By his own admission he can afford to live comfortably for a few months without a footballer’s wage to tide him over. His concern is for younger players starting out in their career.
‘I’m in a fortunate enough position where I will want to work again but, if I didn’t work for six months to a year, it’s not going to impact on my life a great deal.
‘If my career stopped today, I’d be reasonably happy with what I achieved. So I am not pushing for this to help myself.
‘I don’t want to be all noble about this but, if Ross County had said: “We will furlough the youth players and you first-team guys are not getting furloughed”, that to me would be a success. ‘There’s a young guy Joel Macbeath and he told me he has been training with Ross County for 12 years.
‘He is only 18, so since he was six or seven he has been training with the same club. Then he gets a phonecall saying: “We don’t need you any more and we’re not putting you on furlough”.
‘He has no savings, no career to fall back on, he doesn’t know anyone in the game and no one knows him. He has never had the chance to showcase his ability. What does he do now?’
Falkirk, Dundee, Ayr United and Berwick Rangers have confirmed plans to extend player contracts via the furlough scheme. And Foster still can’t believe County ignored pleas to do likewise.
‘Ross County have let ten players go from their youth set-up this morning,’ he added.
‘I think it’s short-sighted. They are getting rid of that 16-20 age group. In two years’ time, they are not going to have that to fall back on. They are getting rid of the future.
‘It’s bad for Scottish football because you are wasting a generation.
‘Ask yourself this: where do those young boys released by County go? They can’t realistically sign for anyone now because so many other clubs are in the same boat.’