[Politics] Surprising Allardyce press conference

[Dick Head]

After visiting North Liverpool Foodbank on Thursday -

"It's extremely depressing that a country of this magnitude and where it thinks it lies can allow so many food banks to be operating in this country,

"But for the goodwill of the Liverpool people - and the fans have a big say in the food bank that we went to in helping donate food for people less fortunate - I think it's going back to the Dark Ages to allow it to continue.

"And it's not only allowing it to continue, it's growing at a rapid pace where people who are in work, not just on benefits, cannot afford to live at a decent level and have to go to a food bank to feed themselves and their children.

"I think it's incredibly sad that a country like ours has allowed that to happen and will continue to allow it to happen.

"I think it's a disgrace - apart from the people who actually work in it. They're out of this world."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42460641

I'm not his biggest fan but well said, BFS!

 

[redoubtable seagull]

He’s right.

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

It’s also incredibly sad and depressing that this lecture comes from a man of dubious integrity, who gets paid £6,000,000.00 a year to manage a football team and who only really cares about his own bank balance.

 

[The_Viper]

It’s also incredibly sad and depressing that this lecture comes from a man of dubious integrity, who gets paid £6,000,000.00 a year to manage a football team and who only really cares about his own bank balance.

You're posting on a football messageboard moaning about it.

 

[Ernest]

Tories making Britain crap again

 

[Buzzer]

It’s also incredibly sad and depressing that this lecture comes from a man of dubious integrity, who gets paid £6,000,000.00 a year to manage a football team and who only really cares about his own bank balance.

Agreed. When he got caught offering advice on how to break the rules in exchange for a lot of money he was the highest paid international manager in the world by a considerable margin. What next, Damian Green to become an IT security officer?

 

[Ninja Elephant]

We could all do more, but the richest few percent could really make a difference by donating some of the money they skim off their taxes with clever legal loopholes by making relatively small donations to charities who could then "pay it forward", as it were.

They won't, because the whole world is greedy (myself included). But I find it hard to stomach those comments from a man who could do so much to help people, and I'm sure he does do some things. His comments are on the money.

 

[Sorrel]

Football is the epitome of capitalist economics: huge benefits for those with the best abilities (or those able to work hard to make the best of what they have), little or none for those who can't make the grade.

A UK wealth tax would probably pay for quite a few food banks (though whether that would entirely eliminate the need for them is another matter) and high earners in football would have to pay a lot more tax, though I'm sure they have to pay quite a lot already (accountancy practices notwithstanding). The end result would be less competitive UK clubs, though internally in the UK we would probably see just as competitive a league as before, but without any 'superstars'.

 

[bhafc99]

Surprisingly prescient:

"Business leaders and politicians have long realised that there is much to be learned from the world of low-to-mid Premier League football. But what about the rest of us? What can the former manager of England, Crystal Palace and literally nine other teams teach us about our own lives?"

 

[METALMICKY]

You're posting on a football messageboard moaning about it.

Sorry but it's a reasonable statement. Who says this isn't just bit of well advised PR from a man not generally respected or ackoweleged as some major humanitarian. Back it up with confirmation of a sizable donation and perhaps history of similar gestures and I might be convinced of the sincerity.

 

[Buzzer]

Football is the epitome of capitalist economics: huge benefits for those with the best abilities (or those able to work hard to make the best of what they have), little or none for those who can't make the grade.

A UK wealth tax would probably pay for quite a few food banks (though whether that would entirely eliminate the need for them is another matter) and high earners in football would have to pay a lot more tax, though I'm sure they have to pay quite a lot already (accountancy practices notwithstanding). The end result would be less competitive UK clubs, though internally in the UK we would probably see just as competitive a league as before, but without any 'superstars'.

The very wealthy already pay a record share of the total tax burden. The top 1% already pay nearly 30% of all tax and that's treble what it was in the 70s. There's also a long-standing relationship between tax rates set and taxes collected. If you tax too high, the rich just leave the country. That's what has happened in France. Rather than tax individuals, I'd like to see corporations take a slightly bigger hit.

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

You're posting on a football messageboard moaning about it.

Not moaning at all, just making a comment on someone, who is on a par with honest Harry when it comes to prioritising self interest, above all other things, by whatever means. And your point is?

 

[kevo]

After visiting North Liverpool Foodbank on Thursday -

"It's extremely depressing that a country of this magnitude and where it thinks it lies can allow so many food banks to be operating in this country,

"But for the goodwill of the Liverpool people - and the fans have a big say in the food bank that we went to in helping donate food for people less fortunate - I think it's going back to the Dark Ages to allow it to continue.

"And it's not only allowing it to continue, it's growing at a rapid pace where people who are in work, not just on benefits, cannot afford to live at a decent level and have to go to a food bank to feed themselves and their children.

"I think it's incredibly sad that a country like ours has allowed that to happen and will continue to allow it to happen.

"I think it's a disgrace - apart from the people who actually work in it. They're out of this world."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42460641

I'm not his biggest fan but well said, BFS!

Well said, Big Sam. I remember seeing footage a decade or so ago of the food banks in the US and thinking 'That's disgraceful, how can that happen in one of the richest countries in the world? At least it doesn't happen here...'

 

[Sorrel]

The very wealthy already pay a record share of the total tax burden. The top 1% already pay nearly 30% of all tax and that's treble what it was in the 70s. There's also a long-standing relationship between tax rates set and taxes collected. If you tax too high, the rich just leave the country. That's what has happened in France. Rather than tax individuals, I'd like to see corporations take a slightly bigger hit.

I'm not disagreeing, but I guess there is another way of looking at this particular issue - which is to ask why people need food banks, and then address those specific issues.

I'm sure it's a study that has been done in the past (I have recollections about hearing people say that benefit sanctions are the main cause) but I'd be interested to know more detail than anecdotal evidence. Either way, I'm not sure there is an answer to completely remove food banks as there always needs to be a final level of charity to help those who don't or can't help themselves - but understanding the numbers behind the usage would be a first step.

 

[Sussex Nomad]

It’s also incredibly sad and depressing that this lecture comes from a man of dubious integrity, who gets paid £6,000,000.00 a year to manage a football team and who only really cares about his own bank balance.

And I have only read three replies so far, totally agree with this and is greedy enough to be willing to take bungs. Real world? They haven't got a f*cking clue!

 

[Dick Head]

 

[essbee1]

It’s also incredibly sad and depressing that this lecture comes from a man of dubious integrity, who gets paid £6,000,000.00 a year to manage a football team and who only really cares about his own bank balance.

This.

 

[Buzzer]

I'm not disagreeing, but I guess there is another way of looking at this particular issue - which is to ask why people need food banks, and then address those specific issues.

I'm sure it's a study that has been done in the past (I have recollections about hearing people say that benefit sanctions are the main cause) but I'd be interested to know more detail than anecdotal evidence. Either way, I'm not sure there is an answer to completely remove food banks as there always needs to be a final level of charity to help those who don't or can't help themselves - but understanding the numbers behind the usage would be a first step.

I agree completely. The existence of food banks in the 21st century is a damning indictment. I also agree that the attack on people claiming benefits probably pushes lots of people into needing them and that it was completely wrong to target the very weakest and poorest. We have one of the lowest rates of corporation tax in the EU, we also have a lax attitude towards making sure the biggest corporations pay their fair share and that's where I'd target rather than the multi-millionaire footballers and film stars because as far as I can tell, and I say this as a Tory and an accountant, this "all in it together" that politicians have spoken of hasn't included big business.

 

[Sussex Nomad]

I agree completely. The existence of food banks in the 21st century is a damning indictment. I also agree that the attack on people claiming benefits probably pushes lots of people into needing them and that it was completely wrong to target the very weakest and poorest. We have one of the lowest rates of corporation tax in the EU, we also have a lax attitude towards making sure the biggest corporations pay their fair share and that's where I'd target rather than the multi-millionaire footballers and film stars because as far as I can tell, and I say this as a Tory and an accountant, this "all in it together" that politicians have spoken of hasn't included big business.

I do wonder as a non political what they did before food banks? I'm sure poverty was still about, perhaps swept under the carpet with no chance of charity? Just wondering.

 

[Wrong-Direction]

Sorry is this the same bloke that was secretly filmed doing dodgy deals?

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