What's new

PFA Comment

Shadydan

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2012
38,247
104,143
Their whole tax argument would be more convincing if loads of them weren’t using all sorts of creative accounting to dodge as much of it as they can.

That's a fair point but they're not alone in doing that...if the general point is to single out PL footballers then you have to make the same case for the many other millionaires in this country and I'd be willing to wager that they're aren't so honest in paying tax either.
 

Tucker

Shitehawk
Jul 15, 2013
31,128
146,005
That's a fair point but they're not alone in doing that...if the general point is to single out PL footballers then you have to make the same case for the many other millionaires in this country and I'd be willing to wager that they're aren't so honest in paying tax either.

I completely agree. Footballers seem to be being used as a convenient whipping boy by the press. However that doesn’t absolve them of their own actions. I can’t see why them taking a pay cut while football is suspended is in any way unreasonable. Especially when there’s a threat that many clubs could go bust, and are having to rely on government support to pay their regular staff. It’s very cynical of them to try to use the NHS as a shield against doing so. I’d be very surprised if the majority of premier league players paid the level of tax that the PFA are talking about in their statement.

Like you say there are plenty of other rich people who are doing the same. I bet the likes of Tim Martins and Mike Ashley haven’t taken a pay cut while furloughing their staff. Then you have the likes of Richard Branson holding out his gold plated begging bowl to the government to bail out his airline, while at the same time he boards billions off shore like some kind of Tolkienesque Dragon.
 

nailsy

SC Supporter
Jul 24, 2005
30,536
46,628
Personally I don't have a problem with what the players have said. This should have been sorted out between them and the club's in private with some kind of scheme set up to provide donations for the NHS and a trust fund for the clubs if they get into financial difficulty. It sounds like the players were already trying to do something like this off their own backs. They shouldn't be made scapegoats.
 

Lo Amo Speroni

Only been in match thread once.
Aug 9, 2010
1,992
5,603
There are many sides to this story but the main point for me is the PFA having the gall to say they need to be paid in full to help the NHS. That is the same for everyone who has lost their jobs that now cant pay tax.
It stinks, its selfish, ignorant and unbelievably arrogant.
 

Rocksuperstar

Isn't this fun? Isn't fun the best thing to have?
Jun 6, 2005
53,288
66,756
I have a feeling that this will run for a while but eventually the clubs will turn on the players out of necessity. The clubs will simply not be able to afford paying the players - are they honestly all going to take their clubs to court over their contracts while people are dying?

PFA wouldn't even be that fucking cheeky. They can speak as much as they like though - their summary of the situation is an opinion and exactly what we would expect in most situations from a union - as long as they know that they are wrong and will revise that decision in the future when the clubs have made all of the cuts they are prepared to make in other areas and show them the empty purses.
 

RichieS

Well-Known Member
Dec 23, 2004
11,916
16,436
Just imagine if the shit really hit the fan and all clubs, out of necessity, released all players.

That would be one fun edition of Football Manager!
 

ShayLaB

Well-Known Member
Dec 8, 2006
1,510
1,689
There are multiple issues just getting lumped into together in the mix and the resulting blamange is that footballers are tossers.

1. Matt Hancock is right to highlight the farcical situation whereby lower paid employees are being furloughed whilst many of the best paid people in the country are continuing at full wages. Clubs as rich as Tottenham, Liverpool and Newcastle should be able to organise themselves so that nobody in the club is in a govt. hardship scheme.

2. The PFA only exist to look after players and their income. The 30% is primarily there for PR and it seems that has backfired.

3. Wayne Rooney was right that each club should be sitting down with their players and coming to an agreement with their clubs. For some clubs this will be an existential crisis and there may have to be some compromise and understanding.
 

lis spur

Well-Known Member
Dec 7, 2006
2,571
5,946
I don't see what they said was wrong, If they take a pay cut then you inevitably cut their tax which is very true, all that's gonna do is allow them to contribute less tax back to the government which is counter productive.

What they should be doing (the PFA) is encouraging the players to contribute out of their own pockets, maybe setting up a scheme so they can voluntary pay into or setup a charity and ask them to donate money into it, seeing as they are both on each other's side I think the PFA should be doing more for them and I generally think that footballers would want to contribute as long as there are controlled measures in place.

I think it's equally shitty of Matt Hancock to point the finger at PL footballers when there are many millionaires in this country who haven't even lifted a finger but I guess it's easy to single out the working class and PL footballers in general who have always been easy targets.
Agree with all of this Football an entertainment business and we dont live in a communist state ,so market forces dictate their wage. I find a Tory minister in a government that has routinely underfunded the NHS and allowed the very rich to abuse tax loopholes taking the high ground against a lot of footballers a bit rich. That said the Premier league should be making a rather larger donation on the part of the players.
 

dontcallme

SC Supporter
Mar 18, 2005
33,985
81,902
Looking at things from a very basic point of view if our furloughed staff were on an average salary of £35k then their total monthly salary is £1.6m.

So to cover their salary our players, assuming a squad of 25, would need to donate just under £65k a month each. If people want them to donate the 20% salary so the lower paid staff then each player would need to donate £12800 a month each.

These numbers are basic and based on assumptions of average salaries so are not accurate.

According to this site - https://www.spotrac.com/epl/tottenham-hotspur-f.c/payroll/

Last season the likes of Foyth were on £20k a week. I am not convinced the players can afford to cover the salary of the staff.
 

topper

Well-Known Member
Jan 27, 2008
3,806
16,254
Their whole tax argument would be more convincing if loads of them weren’t using all sorts of creative accounting to dodge as much of it as they can.
You mean like loads of others?
 

Tucker

Shitehawk
Jul 15, 2013
31,128
146,005
You mean like loads of others?

As far as I know those “others” aren’t claiming that the tax they are dodging won’t go to the NHS if they get a pay cut.

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t think that footballers or clubs should be being made a target of like this. But that doesn’t absolve them of anything.
 

Spurslove

Well-Known Member
Jul 6, 2012
6,627
9,281
Their whole tax argument would be more convincing if loads of them weren’t using all sorts of creative accounting to dodge as much of it as they can.

Absolutely spot on mate. I bet the PFA are praying this subject never comes up for discussion for obvious reasons, but it's a fact that many if not all the top EPL players are receiving the highest level tax advice as to how best they can 'avoid' as much of their earnings as possible into off-shore tax havens.

As for Rooney's comments about the wealthiest players being asked to take a wage cut being 'a disgrace' words absolutely fail me. What a moronic thing to say. Then he says he'd be happy to buy ventilators for the NHS if they asked him to, but the question has to be asked 'Why have you got to wait for them to ask you, you absolute ***t. What exactly has your contribution been so far? GRRRR!


.
 

dontcallme

SC Supporter
Mar 18, 2005
33,985
81,902
Absolutely spot on mate. I bet the PFA are praying this subject never comes up for discussion for obvious reasons, but it's a fact that many if not all the top EPL players are receiving the highest level tax advice as to how best they can 'avoid' as much of their earnings as possible into off-shore tax havens.

As for Rooney's comments about the wealthiest players being asked to take a wage cut being 'a disgrace' words absolutely fail me. What a moronic thing to say. Then he says he'd be happy to buy ventilators for the NHS if they asked him to, but the question has to be asked 'Why have you got to wait for them to ask you, you absolute ***t. What exactly has your contribution been so far? GRRRR!


.
Here's his quote without Sky's interpretations.

"If the government approached me to help support nurses financially or buy ventilators, I'd be proud to do so - as long as I knew where the money was going," wrote Rooney.

"I'm in a position where I could give something up. Not every footballer is in the same position. Yet suddenly the whole profession has been put on the spot with a demand for 30 per cent pay cuts across the board. Why are footballers suddenly the scapegoats?

"How the past few days have played out is a disgrace. He (Hancock) was supposed to be giving the nation the latest on the biggest crisis we've faced in our lifetimes. Why was the pay of footballers even in his head? Was he desperate to divert attention from his government's handling of this pandemic?"

"It seemed strange to me because every other decision in this process has been kept behind closed doors but this had to be announced publicly," he added. "Why? It feels as if it's to shame the players - to force them into a corner where they have to pick up the bill for lost revenue.

"In my opinion, it is now a no-win situation. Whatever way you look at it, we're easy targets."
 

dontcallme

SC Supporter
Mar 18, 2005
33,985
81,902
Can't say I think there's a lot wrong with what Rooney said. It is wrong that politicians are picking out footballers like they're the only high earners in the country. Seems a cheap political tactic to divert attention.

But everyone should be doing what they can to help us through this. We have seen extreme selfishness by people on all sides of society.

One thing I have taken from this is to focus my energy onto the positive and helping where I can. It really doesn't help anyone to be pointing fingers online at groups going to parks and socialising or whining about footballers not paying their way. Just think about what you can do and do your bit.
 

Shadydan

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2012
38,247
104,143
Here's his quote without Sky's interpretations.

"If the government approached me to help support nurses financially or buy ventilators, I'd be proud to do so - as long as I knew where the money was going," wrote Rooney.

"I'm in a position where I could give something up. Not every footballer is in the same position. Yet suddenly the whole profession has been put on the spot with a demand for 30 per cent pay cuts across the board. Why are footballers suddenly the scapegoats?

"How the past few days have played out is a disgrace. He (Hancock) was supposed to be giving the nation the latest on the biggest crisis we've faced in our lifetimes. Why was the pay of footballers even in his head? Was he desperate to divert attention from his government's handling of this pandemic?"

"It seemed strange to me because every other decision in this process has been kept behind closed doors but this had to be announced publicly," he added. "Why? It feels as if it's to shame the players - to force them into a corner where they have to pick up the bill for lost revenue.

"In my opinion, it is now a no-win situation. Whatever way you look at it, we're easy targets."

Can't argue with that.
 

Spurslove

Well-Known Member
Jul 6, 2012
6,627
9,281
Here's his quote without Sky's interpretations.

"If the government approached me to help support nurses financially or buy ventilators, I'd be proud to do so - as long as I knew where the money was going," wrote Rooney.

"I'm in a position where I could give something up. Not every footballer is in the same position. Yet suddenly the whole profession has been put on the spot with a demand for 30 per cent pay cuts across the board. Why are footballers suddenly the scapegoats?

"How the past few days have played out is a disgrace. He (Hancock) was supposed to be giving the nation the latest on the biggest crisis we've faced in our lifetimes. Why was the pay of footballers even in his head? Was he desperate to divert attention from his government's handling of this pandemic?"

"It seemed strange to me because every other decision in this process has been kept behind closed doors but this had to be announced publicly," he added. "Why? It feels as if it's to shame the players - to force them into a corner where they have to pick up the bill for lost revenue.

"In my opinion, it is now a no-win situation. Whatever way you look at it, we're easy targets."

As I said. What a fucking knob. He should have just kept his gob shut because he hasn't done the player's cause any favours. Proof that footballers are obviously not paid for their brains.

Regarding the official comments from the PFA regarding their projection of possible lost tax revenue (£200 million) if players wages were cut by 30%, is it really their place to worry about the loss to HM Treasury Dept income or are they simply trying to deflect the basic issue as much as they can, knowing they have no real base to argue from?
 

dontcallme

SC Supporter
Mar 18, 2005
33,985
81,902
As I said. What a fucking knob. He should have just kept his gob shut because he hasn't done the player's cause any favours. Proof that footballers are obviously not paid for their brains.

Regarding the official comments from the PFA regarding their projection of possible lost tax revenue (£200 million) if players wages were cut by 30%, is it really their place to worry about the loss to HM Treasury Dept income or are they simply trying to deflect the basic issue as much as they can, knowing they have no real base to argue from?
What has Rooney said wrong?
 

Spurslove

Well-Known Member
Jul 6, 2012
6,627
9,281
What has Rooney said wrong?

Apart from calling the government's approach 'a disgrace' for making players 'an easy target' because of the outrageous wages they earn and suggesting he'd love to buy loads of equipment for the NHS if only he was asked to....?

No, not much.

.
 

Shadydan

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2012
38,247
104,143
Apart from calling the government's approach 'a disgrace' for making players 'an easy target' because of the outrageous wages they earn and suggesting he'd love to buy loads of equipment for the NHS if only he was asked to....?

No, not much.

.

You're reading what you want to read and picking apart his comments without context just to suit your faux outrage narrative so now you've got that out the way if you read what he said without the media spin he's 100% correct.
 

Spurslove

Well-Known Member
Jul 6, 2012
6,627
9,281
You're reading what you want to read and picking apart his comments without context just to suit your faux outrage narrative so now you've got that out the way if you read what he said without the media spin he's 100% correct.

Read his comments again and come back and tell me what 'context' are you referring to that I've mis-interpreted.

.
 
Top