LONDON, United Kingdom, Apr 5 – Wayne Rooney has criticised the government and the Premier League for placing footballers in a “no-win situation” over proposed pay cuts after a warning from players’ representatives that National Health Service coffers could suffer.

The former England captain, now playing with Championship side Derby, penned an impassioned column in the Sunday Times saying his fellow professionals were “easy targets” in the wider response to the coronavirus crisis.

Rooney made it clear he had both the means and the will to make financial contributions, either in the form of salary reductions or direct donations to the NHS, but felt the public pressure being exerted on players was unhelpful.

The Premier League’s suggested strategy involving a combination of pay cuts and deferrals amounting to 30 percent of wages, was discussed in a conference call with players’ and managers’ representatives on Saturday.

Initial talks were already ongoing before key political figures, including Health Secretary Matt Hancock, called for action.

“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.

He added: “I’m in a place 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 percent pay cuts across the board. Why are footballers suddenly the scapegoats?

“How the past few days have played out is a disgrace.”

The Premier League has been seen as lagging behind other European leagues in its response to coronavirus and was accused by one British lawmaker of operating in a “moral vacuum”.

But Rooney questioned the wisdom of the Premier League in preempting behind-the-scenes talks involving players with its own proposals for sweeping reductions.

“In my opinion it is now a no-win situation,” he said. “Whatever way you look at it, we’re easy targets.”

England defender Danny Rose, on loan at Newcastle from Tottenham, told the BBC players were “keen to make something happen”.

The Professional Footballers’ Association said its members wanted to play their part but warned that a projected 30 percent salary reduction would cost the country 200 million pounds ($245 million) in lost tax receipts.

A PFA statement released on Saturday following the conference call said the combined tax on player salaries was a significant contribution to funding essential services.

“Taking a 30 percent salary deduction will cost the Exchequer a substantial sum,” it said. “This would be detrimental to our NHS and other government-funded services.”

– Furlough row –

A handful of top-flight clubs, including last year’s Champions League finalists Liverpool and Tottenham, have opted to furlough non-playing staff using the safety net of the government’s job retention scheme.

But former Liverpool players Jamie Carragher and Stan Collymore strongly criticised the move by the European champions, who in February announced pre-tax profits of 42 million pounds ($51 million) for 2018/19.

Rooney’s former England and Manchester United teammate Gary Neville, now a leading broadcaster, was highly critical of the Premier League.

“The PL are handling the CV (coronavirus) crisis terribly,” he wrote on Twitter, before outlining a checklist of perceived mis-steps including their slowness in imposing a lockdown and the “PR disaster” of furloughing.

Oliver Dowden, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said he was concerned about the way the talks had progressed.

He tweeted: “Concerned about the turn football talks have taken tonight. People do not want to see infighting in our national sport at a time of crisis.

“Football must play its part to show that the sport understands the pressures its lower-paid staff, communities and fans face.”

The Premier League said on Friday that the 2019/20 season would only return when it was “safe and appropriate to do so”.

(Visited 7 times, 7 visits today)

%thecontent%%avatar%

%author%

%authornetworks%

%authordescription%

%authornetworks%

Comments

%sidebar%","opedarticle":"","sidead1":"ff","sidead2":"","sidead3":"","homestory":"

%title%

%game%%date%Read More--","taxonomyitem":"

%title%

%game%%date%Read More------","fixtureitem":"%name1%%score1%VS%score2%%name2%%time%","home":"rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn 1rn 2rn 3rn 4rn 5rn rn rn rn

Down lane memory with the great Ottamax u00a0

rn rn Footballrn rn rn Sunday, 5th Apr 2020rn rn rn rn Read Articlern rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrnrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

More Headlines

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Rooney says handling of Premier League pay row ‘a disgrace’rn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Premier League stars warn of Sh26 bn shortfall in virus wage cut rowrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 9 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Ecclestone says 2020 F1 championship should be cancelledrn

rn rn Motorsrn rn rn rn 10 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Liverpool furlough move draws stinging criticism from ex-playersrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 9 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Premier League players’ ‘backs against wall’ over coronavirus, says Rosern

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 20 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Tokyo Olympics: FIFA could move age limit for men’s football tournament to 24rn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 21 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrn rn rn

Most Popular

rn ntttnttttnttttt

ntttttt
• Latest
ntttttt
• Trending
nttttttttttttt
• Videos
nttttttttttt

nttttnttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttnttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttntttttttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttntttttttnntttttnttttntttttttntt rn rn rn rn rn rn

All Sports

rn trn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Rooney says handling of Premier League pay row ‘a disgrace’

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Sunday, 5th Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Premier League stars warn of Sh26 bn shortfall in virus wage cut row

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Sunday, 5th Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Ecclestone says 2020 F1 championship should be cancelled

rn rn rn Motorsrn rn Sunday, 5th Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Liverpool furlough move draws stinging criticism from ex-players

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Sunday, 5th Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Premier League players’ ‘backs against wall’ over coronavirus, says Rose

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Saturday, 4th Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Poll Question

rn rn ntnttnttntt

WILL ARSENAL FINISH TOP FOUR IN 2019/20 EPL SEASON?

ntt
• NO
ntt
• YES
ntt

View Results

ntnn Loading ...n rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Tokyo Olympics: FIFA could move age limit for men’s football tournament to 24

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Saturday, 4th Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Neymar donates Sh100mn to fight coronavirus

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Saturday, 4th Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Star footballer joins row after French scientists suggest testing virus vaccine in Africa

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Saturday, 4th Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Ex-F1 boss to be father again at age of 89

rn rn rn Motorsrn rn Saturday, 4th Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Joshua’s heavyweight title defence postponed by coronavirus

rn rn rn Boxingrn rn Saturday, 4th Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Load More Storiesrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Sponsored

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Featured

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Rooney says handling of Premier League pay row ‘a disgrace’rn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 5th Apr 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn Capital Sportrn Down lane memory with the great Ottamax u00a0rn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 5th Apr 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Trump hopes virus-hit sport back ‘sooner’rn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 5th Apr 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Premier League stars warn of Sh26 bn shortfall in virus wage cut rowrn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 5th Apr 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Ecclestone says 2020 F1 championship should be cancelledrn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 5th Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnttt","sidebar":"rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrnrn rn rn rntrn rn t

Most Popular

rn ntttnttttnttttt

ntttttt
• Latest
ntttttt
• Trending
nttttttttttttt
• Videos
nttttttttttt

nttttnttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttnttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttntttttttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttntttttttnntttttnttttntttttttntt rn rn rn rn trn rn rnrn rn rn rn t

Featured

rn rn trn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Rooney says handling of Premier League pay row ‘a disgrace’rn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 5th Apr 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn Capital Sportrn Down lane memory with the great Ottamax u00a0rn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 5th Apr 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Trump hopes virus-hit sport back ‘sooner’rn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 5th Apr 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Premier League stars warn of Sh26 bn shortfall in virus wage cut rowrn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 5th Apr 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Ecclestone says 2020 F1 championship should be cancelledrn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 5th Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn rn rn trn rn rn rn","articleerror":"

Oops...Something broke on our end

"},"messages":{"accessdenied":"Access to the account has been denied ","httperror":"Oops, something went wrong...please try again","contactgoogle":"Contacting Google","firsttime":"Seems this is your first time with this signin system. Please wait as we get your name","signinsuccess":"Cool. You're now signed in. This signin will close automatically now","pendingrequest":"Still communicating with the server","signedout":"Seems you were signed out. Try submitting again after you've been signed in","trackingerror":"Couldn't track Analytics","xhrnotconfigured":"To webmaster: Please confirm the xhr/ajax receptor is configured on the server","loadmore":"Load more stories"}}; /* ]]> */