Tottenham Hotspur’s decision to furlough 550 of their non-playingstaff due to the economic fall-out from the coronavirus pandemic has been sharply criticised by former Spurs and England great Gary Lineker.
Spurs are one of
four Premier League clubs to implement this measure which involves a reduction
in the staff members salaries to 80% and paid by the British Government—however
the players high wages remain the same.
Lineker has pledged two months of his lucrative BBC salary, for presenting their flagship football highlights programme Match Of The Day, to the British Red Cross.
“The way Tottenham have handled it I don’t think has been very good,” he told BBC Radio on Thursday.
“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 their
salaries deferred or reduced.
“That (the furlough
of the non-playing staff) is a separate issue to what the players do.
“It’s the club that
has said that the players are going to carry on with their wages, but let’s see
how the players react to it.”
Premier League
managers Eddie Howe and Graham Potter of Bournemouth and Brighton respectively
have taken voluntary pay cuts in the past two days.
Manchester City
manager Pep Guardiola took a different tack and donated one million euros to
help buy medical supplies for the fight against the pandemic in his native
Spain.
Manchester United
forward Marcus Rashford’s teaming up with a food distribution charity to ensure
children get fed in the Manchester area has already raised over £100,000.
Lineker, capped 80
times, expects players to follow their fellow professionals across Europe.
Many have taken
voluntary salary reductions.
The entire
Barcelona squad, led by Lionel Messi, agreed to 70% reductions while the
coronavirus crisis continues.
“I think a lot of
footballers will do something, and I think there will be a lot of announcements
at clubs,” said Lineker.
“My inkling is that
footballers will take pay cuts, they will help out in communities, they will
make donations in whatever way they can, and I think we need to be a little bit
patient with them.”
Lineker said he
hoped his decision to donate his wages to charity would prompt others who are
similarly wealthy to follow suit.
“I’ve decided that
I’m going to donate two months’ net salary to the British Red Cross, who are on
the frontline trying to help in all sorts of different ways,” said the
59-year-old.
“Hopefully other
people who are in a position of relative wealth can do something similar.”