05 Apr 2020 04:41:45
Disgraceful that Liverpool have furloughed non-playing staff! This is the point I was trying to make yesterday about the greed of football club owners! First spurs and now LFC, 2 of the biggest and most profitable clubs in England and they can’t even pay their staff during a crisis! Absolutely shameful!


1.) 05 Apr 2020
05 Apr 2020 10:29:13
I’m probably in the minority here but the use of words like disgraceful and shameful are in my opinion overboard. I wold have thought Liverpool are topping up the part that the govt won’t cover but not disclosing this to the press.

This is a global crisis. Why are football clubs immune? The majority of football clubs are fragile at best.

Let’s save the finger pointing for a point where normality resumes and we judge (if we must) on behaviour over a period of time.

It is a very stressful time for everyone. Let’s try and be kind, helpful and community minded. The main thing for me is that the staff are receiving their wages. End of.

{Ed025's Note - lets get this right g1, liverpool are a very rich and stable club and for them to use government money to prop up wages is indeed disgraceful, that payment is for firms who cannot afford to subsidise wages not a company who pay millons to players and top staff especially at this time mate, why not cut the playing staff wages to afford the lower paid staff their income?, you can make as many excuses as you want but i think we all know its wrong my friend..


2.) 05 Apr 2020
05 Apr 2020 10:49:16
They are topping up the wages and that has been announced, the whole situation smells a bit and in the grand scheme of things 500k a month is peanuts especially when you consider we pay 12 players over £100k a week.

{Ed025's Note - your right cobra..


3.) 05 Apr 2020
05 Apr 2020 12:21:28
Ed. I don’t agree with the furlough. You’re right that this is govt money that should be reserved for struggling companies. I’m just saying that I am going to judge the behaviour of the club at the end of crisis not during.

{Ed025's Note - companies like LFC should be setting the standards though g1, they are letting the employees down as well as the city mate, its very hard to justify..


4.) 05 Apr 2020
05 Apr 2020 14:10:06
Absolutely disgraceful. Seems like it goes against everything Klopp stands for, so hopefully he can persuade the players to tell the public they would rather take a small pay cut to support the people that keep the club ticking.

Surely the club should’ve aimed for getting the players to come out and say this in the first place, at least it would’ve been consistent with their “this means more” advertising crap. Now it will be laughable whenever anyone sees that line.


5.) 05 Apr 2020
05 Apr 2020 16:38:57
g1dgo, I don’t think I’m going overboard at all, the governments 80% furlough scheme was set up for businesses who genuinely couldn’t afford to pay their staff during this crisis, not for football clubs who posted profits of over £40m! It’s just plain wrong and if you can’t see that, I can’t help you pal!


6.) 05 Apr 2020
05 Apr 2020 16:53:00
G1dgo definitely in the minority I reckon. It's a dreadful thing to do for a rich club and is dreadful for public relation - just look on social media for that, and a lot of the noise is from our own supporters. Anyone who has a Twitter account should get on there and let John Henry have your thoughts on this. Sounds like a decision made by some middle management bean counter rather than a senior company Executive.


7.) 05 Apr 2020
05 Apr 2020 14:18:34
Completely agree. I am so disappointed in the club I thought we knew. I don't think this is on the players at all BTW, but simply on the owners and senior management. We must have lots of cash and ability to lend if absolutely needed. No way this would cripple or really impact the club significantly the amount of money we make. Shows the true colours of the owners this.


8.) 05 Apr 2020
05 Apr 2020 18:13:33
LIVFURLOUGHPOOL FC.


9.) 05 Apr 2020
05 Apr 2020 19:30:31
I think you need to see this from a different perspective.

Bigger and more financially stable companies have also put staff on furlough. We're talking McDonalds, Wetherspoons, Pizza Express, Nissan, British Airways and loads loads more.

I, myself am self employed. I'd absolutely love to be put on furlough right now. To get 80% of my income and not have to travel to work, buy lunches, wear and tear on clothes, my vehicle etc.

When I worked for another company, close to 20% of my income went into getting to work; sustaining myself at work, staying groomed for top personal appearance, buying clothes for work etc. I'd have happily stayed at home for 80% of my pay at this time. No. Not through laziness. If I'm at home, I've less chance of catching the virus, but more importantly, less chance of passing it on to others. I really doubt that anyone that has been put on furlough is in any kind of financial pressure because of it.

I'm self employed. I don't make big profits, but I need the income I was getting to cover my fixed costs. I'm not going to get it because my profits have always been quite small, but my fixed costs aren't going to get covered. Sometimes, you need a little different perspective on things. Being put on furlough is not the worst that can happen to you and far from it.


10.) 05 Apr 2020
05 Apr 2020 21:53:45
Very disappointed with the club/ owners about this. This scheme was intended for companies and employees to safeguard jobs. I went mad when spurs did it, then, to my amazement, the club I love do the same thing. Shameful.


11.) 05 Apr 2020
05 Apr 2020 21:59:33
Seriously I really want to know who is making these stupid decisions. It not like we are a league one club. Are we not ranked in top three richest clubs this year? .
Hope edd can 25 can get a job with LFC and show what common scene can achieve.

{Ed025's Note - i have been a great supporter of FSG in recent times walter but they have got this one totally wrong, it might be ok to do this in the states but here it is unacceptable in my view, i would like to see klopp step in here as im sure he knows the feelings of disgust within the city and its time to step up to the plate, hendo and a few others seem to have a plan which im looking forward to hearing and hopefully they can salvage some pride for the club mate..


12.) 05 Apr 2020
05 Apr 2020 23:25:49
I'm unsure what to think about it. £42m in profit. but we have also read about the pressure affecting clubs to the point they might not come back.

I'm sure the answers are out there but before we criticise we should be diligent in informing ourselves of the facts. Could the club have sustained the cost? Is furlough the prudent thing to do to ensure those jobs are preserved, by preserving the club? Not to mention everything the club may do for the community and charities and the like that would be missed?

How much debt is the club having to service, even though it's made an operating profit?

Unless you absolutely know the fine details, we must be careful how we judge.

If the club went bust because it didn't furlough staff, we'd all be criticising that they should have been more astute.

All that said, I agree that the club mistrust do the right thing, whatever that turns out to be. Look forward to seeing what Hendo and the others do.

Hard for Klopp to go against his employers. I'm

I feel it's a bit naive to think the club wouldn't have taken public perception into account in their decision process. Maybe I'm wrong.


13.) 06 Apr 2020
06 Apr 2020 03:19:34
I am ok with it. I can see the moral debate, but think the reaction is way over the top.


14.) 06 Apr 2020
06 Apr 2020 08:20:45
Faith do you think it's ok for you me and every hard working tax payer in this country to pay the wages of workers who's employers/ owners are multi billionaires I live pretty much month to month and a steady income from work allows me to do this I can't afford to go on fancy holidays or things like that and when tax goes up I will be able to afford less luxury's I have no problem with this as we are alliance this situation together I work for a very small business with only 3 employees we would fold if not for furlough but a multi billionair furlough's thier staff for the everyone reading this is the one paying for it and the millions they have in the bank is untouched I'm sorry but that is completely wrong.


15.) 06 Apr 2020
06 Apr 2020 08:26:51
Until we know the facts why bother pointing fingers?

We are the 5th club to utilise this and no doubt won't be the last.

{Ed001's Note - we point fingers because it is not what OUR club is about. Taking advantage of tax payers' money to avoid paying OUR staff? That is not LFC. It is simply wrong as the club has no need to do so. Anyone defending it just lacks morals and does not understand the principles of Liverpool the city that the club represents.}


16.) 06 Apr 2020
06 Apr 2020 08:50:46
I am hoping Liverpool change their mind. I suspect they will due to the response they have received. We are in unprecedented and uncertain times. We are ALL making on the spot decisions and changing our mind regularly. Society has been given the opportunity to be more community minded. Let’s take advantage. That includes football fans. Let’s also get the rid of the hate which I think football justifies as banter. We have an opportunity.

Peace out.


17.) 06 Apr 2020
06 Apr 2020 10:05:25
Im not defending anything im just reserving judgement as to why its been done as I think that is best practice.

{Ed001's Note - it doesn't matter why, it is the wrong thing to do. The club's debts are mainly owed to FSG, there is no need to do this at all. What is there to reserve judgement over?}


18.) 06 Apr 2020
06 Apr 2020 10:12:53
If the players took a what say 5 or 10% wage cut surely it would cover most of the staffs wages

Makes better for the image of everyone involved this move takes away trust of the people who create a atmosphere in our club

Just don't get it.


19.) 06 Apr 2020
06 Apr 2020 10:27:17
thanks Ed25, i guess with the way you put it, I sort of understanding the huge reactions.
Ed1, I don’t think it is a lack of moral. Lack of understanding is probably more to the point.

From where I am, my government is putting a lot of money (28B and more) to help companies and citizens.
As I am currently unemployed, money which go to companies do not come to me.
As for citizen per se, I own a couple of properties, and even though they are still under mortgaged, I am also not qualified for much of the aids.

Per guideline, Liverpool is doing nothing wrong. This is after all a Govt directive.
If indeed profitable companies should not have claim in the government, then maybe the government should have made the guideline stricter?

Having said that, if they do so, some companies who might be making a lot of money previously might be facing a consequent struggle as a result of covid 19.
Who and how to dispute that?
When you draw tighter guideline, you end up excluding people who need it, like myself personally.

So, having read the reaction from the eds, I guess Liverpool probably shouldn’t have done it, even it is not technically wrong.
I am not local, and is therefore very surprised at the reactions.
Probably FSG will be too.

They will probably not go back on the decision to put on furlough.
In all likeliness, I hope they can “donate” the money from government directly back to help the committee in supplement to whatever the government has put together and which is missing people who really need help.


20.) 06 Apr 2020
06 Apr 2020 10:49:27
I think the main issue here is that football clubs are routinely seen as very visible spenders of huge sums of money (e. g. £75m for VVD plus £150k per week (guess) ) and it gets on people's nerves when they suddenly have to go cap in hand for government handouts when there are a few weeks of tough times.

It's OK saying that McDonald's have done it and British Airways have done it but most people don't see them regularly paying millions of pounds to buy a person for a couple of years.

If the current situation had been going for 6 months then I may have been more accepting but they've just jumped straight into it.


21.) 06 Apr 2020
06 Apr 2020 11:35:30
Simply a lack of understanding of the overall financial position of the club, if this where to last 6 months for arguments sake can the club sustain all its overheads? I don't know that answer so I choose to sit on the fence.

{Ed025's Note - i dont even see a fence jkh, its a question of right or wrong and im afraid liverpool are wrong on this one, they have the money to do the right thing and they are shirking their responsibilities for financial gain, i dont care how long it lasts mate...do the right thing ffs..


22.) 06 Apr 2020
06 Apr 2020 13:25:06
my hats off to all of you in here that have spoken up about the BS of this whole situation. in america, we've been warped into spinning anything that the government allows as being right (or at minimum defensible) because it's legal, but clearly the law doesn't dictate morality. this is an imperfect policy rolled out with urgency because of the circumstances of what is going on in the world right now, and LFC didn't have to take this just because it was available. it's very disappointing, and I hope you all have been heard in a way that motivates them to try to correct this.


23.) 06 Apr 2020
06 Apr 2020 14:02:57
I understand your point bud I do, perhaps as an director of an sme im relating to my own position somewhat.

{Ed025's Note - its for the likes of you that a furlough is being offered jkh, which is why liverpools stance is morally and ethically wrong mate..


24.) 06 Apr 2020
06 Apr 2020 14:22:50
Very disappointed with the club, big businesses like this shouldn't be allowed do it because they can afford not to, football is a gold mine but that's because of the ordinary Joe soap who spends their money in the clubs, tickets, merch etc . a lot of players have donated money, facilities etc to help out the clubs should follow suit.


25.) 06 Apr 2020
06 Apr 2020 20:31:51
decision has been reversed.


26.) 07 Apr 2020
07 Apr 2020 01:10:05
berg and others - yes I think it is ok. LFC pay millions in taxes that are of direct benefit to the country right now. The scheme is there for businesses to access.

The reaction has been as if LFC reduced wages or cut staff. Not ideal, but way over the top for me.

{Ed002's Note - They are like gods to us all.}