Have a look at this video featuring Liverpool keeper Allison. Marvel at the size of his house. It's larger than most building in Ireland.
We've been told we all have a part to play in fighting the coronavirus. In the UK, the Tory government, who've overseen years and years of cuts to the NHS have zeroed in on Premier League footballers are a subset of people who need to do more than they're already doing.
The lockdown has given us a real insight into the lavish homes of many footballers. Perhaps that accounts for the increased focus on how Premier League clubs manage staff cuts in the wake of Covid-19. Earlier in the week, UK MP Julian Knight criticised Tottenham for furloughing staff without requesting wage cuts from players.
"Furloughing staff is essential for smaller clubs but the big boys of the Premier League should be looking to come to a fair arrangement with their stars before they go cap in hand to the taxpayer."
His colleague Steve Brine also weighed in on the subject: "Wealthy football clubs MUST NOT be allowed to take public funds to furlough staff while still paying players big bucks."
The UK's health minister yesterday Matt Hancock joined in yesterday and asked Premier League players to 'play your part'.
"Take a pay cut, play your part"
The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock has urged Premier League footballers to take a pay cut and make a contribution to help in the battle against coronavirus. pic.twitter.com/vZjVgB3BiJ— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) April 2, 2020
Footballers are an interesting scapegoat as the UK copes with Covid-19. I think everyone in society would agree that footballers are played too much money for what they do and that nurses should be paid far, far more than they get. However, it's not Allison's fault that people pay him enough to live in a palace. If the UK government truly valued its health service, it might have invested more in it over the last decade or so.
Footballers of all stripes were quick to point the finger back at the Tories after Hancock's address.
Herd Immunity?
Boris and his cronies?
NHS under funded and mismanaged for decades?
That’ll be the Premier League footballers fault.
Wake up!
This is about shifting the focus away from the government handling this pandemic horrendously.— Joey Barton (@Joey7Barton) April 3, 2020
This is all our fault. We have allowed successive governments to cost cut and streamline our services.
For decades vital public sector areas have been underfunded and taken for granted.
This is not a time for scapegoats.
This is a time for wide scale reforms.— Joey Barton (@Joey7Barton) April 3, 2020
I wish I was a player for 10 more mins.The PL players are more than likely working on a proposal to help clubs , communities and The NHS. It takes longer than 2 weeks to put together. Matt Hancock calling them out when he can’t get tests in place for NHS staff is a f@@@@@g cheek!
— Gary Neville (@GNev2) April 2, 2020
Uncomfortable with PL players being singled out so emphatically by so many - especially opportunistically in government. Populist and easy. They are not responsible for the decisions clubs, billionaires, or authorities make. They're willing to help, PFA have told them to wait.
— Melissa Reddy (@MelissaReddy_) April 2, 2020
If nurses were paid the same as premier league footballers, just imagine how much you'd hate them.
— Tom Peck (@tompeck) April 3, 2020
The tweet from Neville gives an indication that some kind of announcement is on its way from Premier League players in relations to pay cuts. The real question is will the billionaires who own these clubs be pressured to make similar contributions?
I mean, even Neymar is doing good deeds.
Neymar has emerged as the anonymous benefactor of £775,000 to help fight the coronavirus pandemic
— Sky Sports (@SkySports) April 3, 2020
