[Albion] At what point do player wages get looked at?

[Giraffe]

I'm possibly going to start a unpopular thread here, but it seems to me that football is missing the glaring the problem with "project re-start".

All of us, I suspect few have been untouched, have been affected in some way by Covid-19 economically and with the furloughing scheme due to gradually end over the coming 2 months many more of us will suffer further. I don't mind admitting that so far I was one of the lucky ones that only had my pay reduced by 25% for 3 months but I still have a job, for now.

However across the country in businesses where income has dramatically reduced employers have had to make difficult decisions about employees and either reduced worker numbers or reduced pay or hours.

Football, as an entertainment product, has all but been shut down, and whilst they have valiantly carried on, due to the TV money, which I believe has been reduced, they have still lost significant revenue and yet I do not believe that players anywhere (certainly in the top divisions) have taken a pay reduction or suffered financially at all. No doubt in the lower leagues they have suffered.

Surely at some point club owners will need to look at this, and maybe it is further down the line, but all I see is talk of transfers for vast sums of money still and players been paid £100k a week or whatever. It seems so far away from what is happening in the real world, will it ever catch up, or is it still sustainable? Or is it just that economically at the highest level it will be some time before tv companies suffer any economic downside?

 

[Hotchilidog]

I think it is a reasonable question. In order to help the company cash flow, maintain employment levels and basically keep us going until any sort of recovery kicks in, I have taken a pay cut for the whole of this financial year, along with my colleagues. I do not think it unreasonable for the playing staff at football clubs to do the same, they are employees just like the rest of us.

 

[Icy Gull]

When, not if there is a second spike, in the coming months I can see a complete meltdown of professional football. It will start at the bottom and work upwards imo. I think by this time next year football will be a secondary issue to the problems the world will face, so yes the chickens will come home to roost for PL football imo.

A viable vaccine is the only way to avert the above imo and even then the knock on effect on football of what is happening may still be inevitable

 

[jamie (not that one)]

I think it's pretty repulsive that within a matter of weeks a club like Arsenal can lay off 50 people and then shout about 220k a week for Willian and whatever absurd amount they're going to pay PEA to stay. Obviously I'm living in some fantasy land but it shouldn't be allowed.

 

[Robdinho]

Most clubs already run at a loss. It'll only change if the owners are unwilling to make up the difference, but even then there is usually someone willing to buy the club and carry on spending (or alternatively go into administration, wipe the debt and start again!).

You'd imagine it's not sustainable, but people have been saying that for years while fees and wages have increased ever faster and faster

 

[Swansman]

When, not if there is a second spike, in the coming months I can see a complete meltdown of professional football. It will start at the bottom and work upwards imo. I think by this time next year football will be a secondary issue to the problems the world will face, so yes the chickens will come home to roost for PL football imo.

A viable vaccine is the only way to avert the above imo and even then the knock on effect on football of what is happening may still be inevitable

Maybe. I think in general you are right, with plenty of clubs in every division lower than the Championship postponing payments of taxes and debts (and even wages) etc, but at some point they will have to pay up or there will be consequences.

However its not impossible, as I see it, that the PL just keeps going like nothing happens. Its like a separate dimension.

 

[Giraffe]

I think it's pretty repulsive that within a matter of weeks a club like Arsenal can lay off 50 people and then shout about 220k a week for Willian and whatever absurd amount they're going to pay PEA to stay. Obviously I'm living in some fantasy land but it shouldn't be allowed.

Yes I completely agree with this> Football clubs, at times, seem to operate to a different level of morality than the rest of us.

 

[blue-shifted]

Wages should be "looked at" yes, but every other thread on here is us buying a striker or keeping Ben White*.

To do either those things we're going to have to offer competitive contracts which beat what other clubs are offering.

The Premier League is showing no signs of cutting its cloth. The opposite. The bottom half are in a "we can't get relegated" arms race.

Most of our players are on long term deals, which we have to honour, so if "looking at" contracts means not paying them, then no we can't. We're not Pompey, we're not Palace, we're not Leeds. We pay what we owe.

*Please don't start harping on about this, it's been done to death

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

Any club, including the Albion, could start paying sensible wages any time it liked once existing contracts expired. But would we thank them if (or more likely when) it resulted in relegation?

Tony Adams used to say that Wenger was important in Arsenal winning trophies but just as important were David Dein and Danny Fiszman making it possible for them to pay big wages and attract good players.

There are exceptions and smart clubs who manage to outplay richer clubs - read Neil Harman's book 'Close Quarters' about Wycombe last season for a good example - but they are very much the outliers.

 

[blue-shifted]

Any club, including the Albion, could start paying sensible wages any time it liked once existing contracts expired. But would we thank them if (or more likely when) it resulted in relegation?

Tony Adams used to say that Wenger was important in Arsenal winning trophies but just as important were David Dein and Danny Fiszman making it possible for them to pay big wages and attract good players.

There are exceptions and smart clubs who manage to outplay richer clubs - read Neil Harman's book 'Close Quarters' about Wycombe last season for a good example - but they are very much the outliers.

Too right. The correlation between wage bill and league position is very strong. A few buy well, a few buy badly, but you can't beat the system in the long term. You have to pay where you want to be.

 

[beorhthelm]

no one will look at wages im afraid as the player union wont facilitate it. players are tied to contracts the club have invested heavily in, cant afford to renege on.

 

[Weststander]

Sadly imho, players in the main won’t budge one inch. Spurred on by agents and the all powerful PFA.

Instead, it will continue to be discretionary private donations out of net pay by some players (the scheme organised by Jordan Henderson). Which won’t reduce club costs and losses one jot.

In a parallel universe to 99.9% of the world, come Sept/Oct one way or another the likes of Grealish, Chilwell, Sancho, Aubamayeng, Havertz will find themselves rich beyond their wildest dreams. Grossing £10m to £15m a year.

Lower down in the pecking order, it will take the next contracts and courage from the likes of TB to reduce player wages.

 

[blue-shifted]

The only thing that can stop wage inflation is if the TV money stops coming. The only thing that will make that happen is if people don't watch football on TV.

If you feel strongly about this, cancel any TV deal you have. There are loads of no league clubs you can now go to watch who are desperate for your custom. (plus beer and no VAR there)

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

The only thing that can stop wage inflation is if the TV money stops coming. The only thing that will make that happen is if people don't watch football on TV.

If you feel strongly about this, cancel any TV deal you have. There are loads of no league clubs you can now go to watch who are desperate for your custom. (plus beer and no VAR there)

If anything it’s going to go up given people can’t go/local lock downs

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

When, not if there is a second spike, in the coming months I can see a complete meltdown of professional football. It will start at the bottom and work upwards imo. I think by this time next year football will be a secondary issue to the problems the world will face, so yes the chickens will come home to roost for PL football imo.

A viable vaccine is the only way to avert the above imo and even then the knock on effect on football of what is happening may still be inevitable

So seeing as the world is doomed, why would they take a cut?

 

[The Optimist]

The only thing that can stop wage inflation is if the TV money stops coming. The only thing that will make that happen is if people don't watch football on TV.

If you feel strongly about this, cancel any TV deal you have. There are loads of no league clubs you can now go to watch who are desperate for your custom. (plus beer and no VAR there)

I was about to add something very similar. All the time the TV money keeps rolling in the wages will stay high.

 

[The Optimist]

If anything it’s going to go up given people can’t go/local lock downs

Or down if people can’t afford it anymore.

 

[Lenny Rider]

I do wonder how all sports and the money they pay out will fare when in 12/18 months time we've got 4 million unemployed?

As much as I'd love to see it, will it be morally right for Fury to Fight AJ in the richest fight ever with the UK in an economic depression?

 

[Icy Gull]

So seeing as the world is doomed, why would they take a cut?

They may not even have a job....that’d do it

 

[Swansman]

I do wonder how all sports and the money they pay out will fare when in 12/18 months time we've got 4 million unemployed?

As much as I'd love to see it, will it be morally right for Fury to Fight AJ in the richest fight ever with the UK in an economic depression?

Sportsmen surely will have a lot of fury directed at them, especially since people seem immune to get angry about billionaires and dirty rich tax avoiders.