Topic: Liverpool 180 on furlough decision

[Clint Eastwood]

Well done to the club, for giving the likes of City some good free PR.

Think I'll shelve thinking about football until the boys can kick a ball again.

[scouseman]

I hope the decision gets changed and put right. It simply goes against everything we stand for as a community club. We need to support our staff in times of hardship like we are in now. The words of YNWA have more importance then ever before. Do the right thing LFC and let us not give the like of Man City to put one over us at a time like this, 

[AndyMuller]

Let’s be honest Liverpool FC hasn’t been a community club for a long time. Everton do far more for the community.

[redmark]

West Brom's Chief Exec.

“On Friday both the EPL and EFL agreed to postpone its fixtures indefinitely, which will test all football clubs throughout the country. At the moment, the Club is financially stable and remains so for the foreseeable future.

“But everybody is fully aware these are very uncertain times in which we simply cannot forecast what the future holds. Until we regain a level of certainty, we cannot be sure if planned income will actually be received or if we will be forced to utilise cash the Club already holds to refund existing commitments.

“What we do know for fact is that our operations are almost completely closed down and we are receiving virtually no income. Almost all of the Club’s usual costs still need to be paid, the majority of which are wages whether this be admin staff, maintenance teams, management or, of course, the first-team players.

“With that in mind, I think it is only correct that for the duration of this lockdown I take a 100 per cent cut in my salary and other members of the senior management team have also offered to take significant reductions in their remuneration.

“Like many other clubs. we have considered using a Furlough approach with non-playing staff who are now unable to work owing to the lock-down and we have made plans for this eventuality.

“At present we have not been required to sanction this action, but if the lockdown continues and football remains ‘on-hold’ then this decision may have to be changed. What we will pledge is to ensure none of the staff effected suffer a reduction in pay; the Club will make up the 20 per cent shortfall not covered by the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

“I should perhaps add at this point that nothing underlines the spirit of our staff, or the commitment they have for Albion, than to tell you that several have volunteered to take pay cuts in order they help the Club navigate a way through these difficulties. It says everything about the core values which run through our staff for which I and all the senior management team are both mindful and appreciative.

“Clearly there has been a lot of media attention on player wages and the comments of the PFA. It is difficult to forecast our future position because of the various ways the Club receives its income. But if we continue to be unable to play football in any format, we will discuss this further with the players who I am confident will want to play their part."

[mattD]

Well done to the club, for giving the likes of City some good free PR.

Think I'll shelve thinking about football until the boys can kick a ball again.

The club has pissed me off, but the fan representatives Spirit of Shankly's lack of reaction is galling too. Here's a chance for fan mobilisation using groups like this as a voice and their reaction has been pithy.

The club's decision on this is morally reprehensible but for the support base to potentially be seen in a state of inertia is unforgivable.

Spirit of Shankly should be ashamed of themselves.

[Red-Soldier]

That's how it should be done.

[CraigDS]

The club has pissed me off, but the fan representatives Spirit of Shankly's lack of reaction is galling too. Here's a chance for fan mobilisation using groups like this as a voice and their reaction has been pithy.

The club's decision on this is morally reprehensible but for the support base to potentially be seen in a state of inertia is unforgivable.

It's almost as if there are more important things going on for most people right now than something which can be dealt with in the future.

[CraigDS]

That's how it should be done.

Hasn't he just said they intend, at some point, to take the Govt. money which is what the club is being called out for supposedly doing?

[kasperoff]

FSG have had plenty of own goals. Last one being the ticket rise when the majority of the fan base was on its arse financially but the club was taking in record amount of revenue.

Also saying the poor wee guy  making 100k a week needs a bit of leadership to start chipping in is hilarious.

FSG have done better a better job than anyone else over the past 30 years at keeping a lid on things.

Like it or not, most of these lads won't know their arse from their elbow, off the pitch. Having money thrown at you does not make you intelligent. I'm sure their heart is in the right place, but they'll need someone to organise things for them. They'll barely have to wipe their own backsides most of the time.

[killer-heels]

Hasn't he just said they intend, at some point, to take the Govt. money which is what the club is being called out for supposedly doing?

There is a scenario where furloughing of staff is a legitimate stance. That scenario hasnt even been close to being met yet and yet the club have pulled off a complete dick move like this from the off.

[kasperoff]

This is incredibly disappointing given that we probably all know someone that has been furloughed or has lost a job at this particular moment in time.

Perhaps when this is all over, we can do away with the "This Means More" mantra because apparently it really doesn't. We're a business. No different to Tottenham or Newcastle or all the other clubs who have done it as well, so it's time to stop pretending that we're anything different or more special.

Unfortunately we are finding out just how quickly organisations will reneg on "putting our employees first" type goals that I know most companies have in place.

[redmark]

Hasn't he just said they intend, at some point, to take the Govt. money which is what the club is being called out for supposedly doing?

Did you miss the bit about him taking a 100% pay cut and other senior management figures taking significant pay cuts, while delaying any need for a profitable business to ask the taxpayer to pay the shop staff?

[Rush 82]

This topic of thread and the one with the anonymous footballer talking about wages represent a moral watershed for football.

[Lush is the best medicine...]

The club has pissed me off, but the fan representatives Spirit of Shankly's lack of reaction is galling too. Here's a chance for fan mobilisation using groups like this as a voice and their reaction has been pithy.

The club's decision on this is morally reprehensible but for the support base to potentially be seen in a state of inertia is unforgivable.

Spirit of Shankly should be ashamed of themselves.

to be fair to SOS their priority is for people to get paid their full pay which is what is happening here

[Samie]

The workers are getting paid in full, how have people not realised that yet? 

[redmark]

The workers are getting paid in full, how have people not realised that yet? 

Who hasn't realised that? The point is who pays them.

[CraigDS]

Did you miss the bit about him taking a 100% pay cut and other senior management figures taking significant pay cuts,

No and that's great obviously. We've no idea what ours are doing - they may or may not be.

while delaying any need for a profitable business to ask the taxpayer to pay the shop staff?

There isn't necessarily a delay - I doubt anyone is being paid until end of April so they've plenty of time to make the decision. I think it can be back dated too.

We've over 675 employees this will likely affect, so a tad more than shop staff. Not including the near 3,000 match day staff we've announced we'll pay in full (which never seems to get mentioned).

[Fiasco]

Let’s be honest Liverpool FC hasn’t been a community club for a long time. Everton do far more for the community.

Everton do indeed do a lot in the community, especially for local residents. But it isn't as if we do fuck all.

[redmark]

No and that's great obviously. We've no idea what ours are doing - they may or may not be.


There isn't necessarily a delay - I doubt anyone is being paid until end of April so they've plenty of time to make the decision. I think it can be back dated too.

We've over 675 employees this will likely affect, so a tad more than shop staff. Not including the near 3,000 match day staff we've announced we'll pay in full (which never seems to get mentioned).

We've claimed it for between 200 and 'about half' of the 675, depending on reports.

Give it up, Craig. It's not defensible. And I'm about done wasting my own emotional energy on pointing that out to those whose tribal loyalty is still too ingrained to criticise the indefensible.

[CraigDS]

We've claimed it for between 200 and 'about half' of the 675, depending on reports.

Well not entirely sure what the up to 475 other staff are doing then, as there is little to no work for any of them, so are we paying them full pay?

I've seen everything from £700k up to £5m for a monthly saving, so I'm not sure anyone knows accurately.

Give it up, Craig. It's not defensible. And I'm about done wasting my own emotional energy on pointing that out to those whose tribal loyalty is still too ingrained to criticise the indefensible.

Not defending it, made my views on it quite clear in here numerous times and don't think any club, or profitable business, should be relying on the Govt. to cover employees wages. I'd rather see confirmation first though.

[L4Red]

See when these lot try to remove my £9 tickets, put prices up for other tickets across the board all the while we are paying higher taxes from our salaries (if we still have jobs) to cover the money the govt are paying out to furloughed staff across the country there should be riots (figurative riots before anyone starts!)

It's so hard to swallow, I'm not arsed what BA or Marks and Spencer are doing, you don't expect it from your 'own'.

Any backtracking or 'clarification' now will be too late for the PR damage.

[Stubbins]

I was seething last night when I heard this. I didn't trust myself to post after more than a few beers.

My anger has gone up a few notches (ramped up you might say) after reading some of the posts on here defending the indefensible.

Apologists for the club and some who'd be better employed working in our PR department (no one could do worse) claiming it's alright because blah blah fucking blah. White noise the lot of it.

LFC and John Henry looking for the UK tax payer to pay the shortfall in staffs wages. It defies belief. Try dipping into your personal savings John to make things right, like we're all having to do. Ask Linda to scale back on her fucking wardrobe allowance - we're all making sacrifices, clearly more some than others. They should hang their heads in utter shame.

I wait with bated breath to see how this plays out. They need to row back and row back quick, get in front of it and make an abject apology. When the owners of LFC take on the core of LFC supporters and the values which we hold, there tends to be one winner. They'd do well to remind themselves of that.

[killer-heels]

I was seething last night when I heard this. I didn't trust myself to post after more than a few beers.

My anger has gone up a few notches (ramped up you might say) after reading some of the posts on here defending the indefensible.

Apologists for the club and some who'd be better employed working in our PR department (no one could do worse) claiming it's alright because blah blah fucking blah. White noise the lot of it.

LFC and John Henry looking for the UK tax payer to pay the shortfall in staffs wages. It defies belief. Try dipping into your personal savings John to make things right, like we're all having to do. Ask Linda to scale back on her fucking wardrobe allowance - we're all making sacrifices, clearly more some than others. They should hang their heads in utter shame.

I wait with bated breath to see how this plays out. They need to row back and row back quick, get in front of it and make an abject apology. When the owners of LFC take on the core of LFC supporters and the values which we hold, there tends to be one winner. They'd do well to remind themselves of that.

No point getting personal with the owners wife.

Also there is no way the wardrobe is getting dialled down.

[Johnny Foreigner]

Linda has been active in the good times. Quiet now. Says it all

[killer-heels]

Linda has been active in the good times. Quiet now. Says it all

Would she even be involved in the decision? Is Henry even involved in the decision?

There is no point singling anyone personally out. People in the day to day running of the club deserve the main flack whilst appreciating the only thing the likes of Werner and Henry care about which is cash.

[Samie]

John W Henry can overrule evrey fucker on the board if he wanted to.

[killer-heels]

John W Henry can overrule evrey fucker on the board if he wanted to.

He very well could but would this decision even be put in front of him? The club have enough senior people to make this decision so wouldnt that be that Hulk Hogan chap and Peter Moores?

[CraigDS]

Ask Linda to scale back on her fucking wardrobe allowance

 

[Hazell]

What's a 'wardrobe allowance'? And where can I get one?

[killer-heels]

What's a 'wardrobe allowance'? And where can I get one?

I have nicknamed a savings account my wardrobe allowance. Although i fund that myself.

[Johnny Foreigner]

They are close enough to enjoy the good times and sucking up the praise on social media. They know What is going on and dont care. Billionaires from Boston. Royal america

[Suareznumber7]

Unfortunately we are finding out just how quickly organisations will reneg on "putting our employees first" type goals that I know most companies have in place.

How are they not putting their employees first?  Not a single employee is going to lose money because of this.

[spider-neil]

They backtracked on the ticket prices. I hope they backtrack now. It's not too late.

[WhereAngelsPlay]

Fucking hell mate you are allowed to be pissed off with some of the clubs poor decisions you know? It doesn’t make you any less of a supporter of the team.

I await the backtrack statement in the coming days.

As do I Andy.

Considering this thread is about LFCs' statement why is the opening post only linking to the BBC story,a story designed to get clicks and people pissed off ?

Liverpool FC statement: COVID-19 update

 Liverpool Football Club is continuing to deal with a range of challenges caused by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and would like to update supporters on the progress that has been made to date.

While our priority from the outset has been to focus primarily on the health and wellbeing of our players, staff, supporters and local community, the club has also committed to playing as full a role as possible in the Premier League’s ongoing response to the crisis.

As such, we welcome Friday’s announcement from the Premier League which confirmed the provision of support for the National Health Service, the EFL and National League and a commitment for the 2019-20 season to resume only when it is safe to do so.

At club level, various other measures have been taken to protect the best interests of the club and our staff in both the short term and the long term, with all such actions being undertaken following various internal discussions. In some instances, further measures will follow only once all parties are in a position to proceed and updates will be provided as and when this is the case.

Liverpool FC has placed some staff who are impacted by the Premier League suspension on furlough. The club has confirmed those staff will be paid 100 per cent of their salaries to ensure no member of staff is financially disadvantaged. Last month the club also confirmed that it would pay its matchday and non-matchday staff while the Premier League is suspended.

Even prior to the decision on staff furloughing, there was a collective commitment at senior levels of the club – on and off the pitch – with everyone working towards a solution that secures jobs for employees of the club during this unprecedented crisis. There is ongoing active engagement about the topic of salary deductions during the period matches are not being played to schedule. These discussions are complex and as a result the process is ongoing.

In addition, with the health and wellbeing of all club staff being of paramount importance, a number of proactive steps have been taken to assist staff during the crisis. Steps include regular updates from the chief executive to keep staff informed of decisions and latest information and a new online portal providing health and wellbeing information and key contacts. This also includes guidance from the club’s sports psychologist on mental health and wellbeing and healthy eating advice from the club’s head of nutrition. The club has also launched a new learning and development platform providing specific help with adapting to working from home and dealing with remote working.

Liverpool FC has also been actively working with its players, Liverpool FC Foundation and the club’s community outreach programme, Red Neighbours, to ensure its community response is targeted to help local families in food crises and those that are socially isolated. A significant donation has been made to St Andrew’s foodbank in north Liverpool by the first-team players and Liverpool FC Foundation, an emergency foodbank appeal was launched by Liverpool FC Foundation to help those in need and LFC staff are continuing to volunteer to help ensure families have food throughout the crisis and beyond. 

The club also launched ‘LFC Connect’; a social isolation initiative aimed at telephone contact with the most vulnerable in our communities. Our fan services team have been busy contacting the elderly and vulnerable and having a virtual cuppa with them.

For those who would normally participate in our schools and community programmes, we have filmed virtual sessions and exercise routines that can be done at home in order to keep fitness levels up. These fitness-at-home videos cover virtual chair yoga, walking football for our team of over-50s, mindfulness and fitness and football coaching for the tens of thousands of children who participate in our weekly programmes.

People are just assuming the worst but nothing in that says or even hints that we're using the Gov scheme,we said early doors that we're going to pay staff 100% and nowt there suggests anything has changed.

As for all the posters claiming that we've given City a chance for some good pr,have a read about them charging the NHS for unused space and then give your heads a massive wobble.

And the players wage cut,our Captain is already organising a system for our players to donate 30% so again give your heads a wobble and calm the fuck down.

Our players are all also doing their bits,just because you're not reading it on the fucking news sites doesn't mean it isn't happening,Jurgen has said as much many,many times long before the current situation.

Some are genuinely pissed off about the story as it has been portrayed & I will be too if it is true but others,the most vocal keyboard bashers are just jumping in to bash the Club like they always fucking do.

As I have said before,Football and footballers are just an easy target,just chill the fuck out until the Club responds.

I am a constant defender of the BBC but the journo who wrote that (no name on it) didn't even fucking bother to give the Club a heads up & chance to put him straight or validate the piece.

[WhereAngelsPlay]

IT.IS.OBVIOUS.

It's anything fucking but obvious or OBVIOUS...

[Mighty Zeus]

I made an angry comment and deleted it. But the situation is really bringing things into relief.

John Henry alone is worth 2.5 billion. That’s more money that it’s easily possible for me to understand.

I know, however, he could comfortably, personally, from his own wealth, cover the wages of his baseball club staff AND our club staff (which he bought for about fifteen pence) AND every person reading this until a vaccine’s found and still have enough to buy a dozen yachts and a fucking space rocket before he comes close to breaking a billion dollar note. I understand perfectly that he’s a businessman. But I'm not entirely cool with the state covering the obligations of someone that revoltingly rich.

These cuntbags are fine with socialism when it means they can continue to sit on their piles of cash like Scrooge McDuck.

Half my income just vanished overnight last week. There's no scheme to help me. And there are people who need help much more than me, and it's not... 100% cool for us. But the taxes I paid in the UK over decades are now serving to guarantee the comfort of billionaires? I really, really don't like it.

[DelTrotter]

People are just assuming the worst but nothing in that says or even hints that we're using the Gov scheme

  As everyone has jumped the gun how come the club has taken about 26 hours of relentless criticism and negative press and not set the record straight then? Only takes a 30 second convo with Paul Joyce and the record is set straight.

[WhereAngelsPlay]

Well if the club use the 80% salary coverage from the government then they are only paying 20%.

If.

[WhereAngelsPlay]

As everyone has jumped the gun how come the club has taken about 26 hours of relentless criticism and negative press and not set the record straight then? Only takes a 30 second convo with Paul Joyce and the record is set straight.

Maybe they're worried about spread the virus through the 5G network.

Fact remains that the BBC journo should've contacted them & they have said before that the employees would receive 100%,all that update did was say that they're still getting 100%.

[The G in Gerrard]

Only takes a 30 second convo with Paul Joyce and the record is set straight.

Why what's he said?