Football Association chairman Greg Clarke warned on Tuesday the financial fall-out from the coronavirus pandemic could destroy English clubs and leagues unless the game’s stakeholders are willing to “share the pain”.
With the Premier
League and England’s three other professional divisions all suspended
indefinitely because of the COVID-19 outbreak, Clarke fears the sudden drop in
revenue could be fatal for lower league clubs.
Talks between
Premier League, Football League and the Professional Footballers’ Association
about player wage deferrals and a potential 30 percent salary cut have yet to
produce a solution, while many clubs have furloughed non-playing staff to save
money.
The FA announced on
Monday its top earners, including England coach Gareth Southgate, were taking a
30 per cent pay cut, with other members of senior management taking a 15 per
cent cut.
But Clarke says
such measures will not be enough unless everyone in the game pulls together to
protect the less wealthy teams.
“Football faces
economic challenges beyond the wildest imagination of those who run it,” Clarke
told the FA Council.
“The pandemic will
be followed by its economic consequences and all business sectors will suffer.
“We face the danger
of losing clubs and leagues as finances collapse. Many communities could lose
the clubs at their heart with little chance of resurrection.
“In the face of
this unprecedented adversity, all the stakeholders within the game from
players, fans, clubs, owners and administrators need to step up and share the
pain to keep the game alive.”
The FA estimate
they are going to take at least a £100 million ($123 million) hit due to the
postponement of the FA Cup quarter-finals and international friendlies.
With a civil war
breaking out in English football over how to handle the damaging effects of the
health crisis, Clarke wants the game’s authorities to join together to prevent
devastating financial consequences by the time the virus is contained.
“We must have a
plan to ensure that English football is not decimated should this season be
lost and next season blighted,” he said.
“We hope we do not
need this plan as we are all determined to finish the professional football
season, however we would be fools not to develop such a contingency plan.
“Those that lost
their clubs because English football did not rise to the challenge would
rightly judge us harshly.”
Clarke also
admitted it is possible the season will not finish due to health concerns.
“We are committed
to finishing the professional football season. However, we may not be able to
as football is not our priority, human life is, and we will do as the
Government directs as the pandemic unfolds,” he said.
