After their meeting today, the Premier League have announced the league is suspended indefinitely while clubs will ask players to reduce wages by 30% in order to protect jobs.
The league have announced it will not get back underway until it is “safe and appropriate” to do so. Meanwhile, the Premier League will advance £125m to the EFL and National League as well as giving £20m to the NHS.
All of the clubs across the EFL and Premier League are committed to finishing all of the remaining fixtures in the league. However, with each passing week, that’s beginning to look a tougher and tougher ask.
Meanwhile, the EFL, Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship have all come to a halt with no resumption date mentioned. That means all professional football in England is on hold indefinitely.
“It was acknowledged that the Premier League will not resume at the beginning of May – and that the 2019-20 season will only return when it is safe and appropriate to do so,” a Premier League statement read.
“Any return to play will only be with the full support of government and when medical guidance allows.”
Premier League want pay cuts
The issue of pay cuts for the players has become a thorny issue in the last few days with politicians criticising Premier League footballers for not coming out and taking voluntary pay cuts.
Today, before this news was announced by the Premier League, the likes of Harry Maguire and Jordan Henderson announced new initiatives as the players look to show they are doing their bit.
READ MORE: Harry Maguire asks team to cut pay while Jordan Henderson sets up crisis fund
Henderson’s crisis fund initiative will see players from across the league all club together to raise as much money as they can to help aid the COVID-19 relief efforts. It’s a brilliant idea and deserves a tip of the hat – well done to you Mr Henderson.
Meanwhile, Harry Maguire’s initiative saw him ask the entire Manchester United squad take a pay cut of 30%, paying the outstanding balance to hospitals around Manchester to help out. Again, I doth my cap to you sir.
What this all means is that, with the players on lower wages, clubs should be able to pay their whole staff throughout this crisis. 30% pay cuts across the whole league will save the clubs millions of pounds – which will of course help in a big way.
The Premier League statement ended in a nice way as they paid tribute to the work of our health workers.
“…huge appreciation for the heroic efforts of NHS staff and all other key workers who are carrying out critical jobs in such difficult circumstances to support the NHS, communities, families and vulnerable groups during the Covid-19 pandemic”.
The £20m they have pledged to give the NHS is a huge gesture and will hopefully be furthered. Football is coming together and playing its part in this crisis – thankfully.
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