Daniel Levy - Chairman

[DubaiSpur]

The club does more in the community than any prem team I believe - they won awards for it
Similarly for example the club gave the NHS the stadium for their use on Monday too (like some other clubs have)
But people are rightly not happy about the club furloughing their staff
And the key is still what the players get paid as that is the drain on the club. It’s no money in vs a LOT going out
Still no premier league players are doing anything collectively to address this and the focus is on the chairman and owners whose hands are tied with the players

as I showed the other day plenty of big business pay their board £ms and their furloughing people too but as their not football business it’s a different story

If people want to judge everything should be judged fairly or not at all

That second-last bit is key, though - it's not football.

I care absolutely nothing for British Airways - they get me from point A to point B. Whether they live or die makes absolutely no difference to me from an emotional standpoint, and if they treat their staff badly, I just won't use their services, in favor of an airline that has unionized staff or treats their staff better, whichever comes first.

Likewise for Virgin, likewise for Rogers and Sports Direct and Hudson Bay and all the rest of them - I don't care what they do, because they provide me a service and that's it.

That just isn't the case with the club you love. It's different. I imagined it always would be, but the way my club's behaved is shaking me on that.

As for the players, I agree, they need to chip in as well. But I don't think it's up to them, it's up to their union, which is naturally concerned about poorer members in lower leagues losing income.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

That second-last bit is key, though - it's not football.

I care absolutely nothing for British Airways - they get me from point A to point B. Whether they live or die makes absolutely no difference to me from an emotional standpoint, and if they treat their staff badly, I just won't use their services, in favor of an airline that has unionized staff or treats their staff better, whichever comes first.

Likewise for Virgin, likewise for Rogers and Sports Direct and Hudson Bay and all the rest of them - I don't care what they do, because they provide me a service and that's it.

That just isn't the case with the club you love. It's different. I imagined it always would be, but the way my club's behaved is shaking me on that.

As for the players, I agree, they need to chip in as well. But I don't think it's up to them, it's up to their union, which is naturally concerned about poorer members in lower leagues losing income.

Do not defend that union
It’s run by an old fool who creams more money out of it than anyone
He is not thinking of anyone other than himself... he is scum

As I said it’s about loyalty to a club the same as loyalty to a brand ... you have a choice of course but foot all is more ingrained as there is more choice and loyalty

but similarly they are businesses that have to exist after this is over and we’re like lost lower league teams in that we survive within our means. It’s kinda unique in highest level sport over here

 

[Bedfordspurs]

And as an odd on... someone did some crude some and it’s better in £££ for the players to keep on being paid and thereby paying tax as that revenue is greater than the cost of furloughing the staff to economy
Don’t know if it’s accurate but there is some logic in the numbers

 

[DubaiSpur]

Julian Knight, Chair of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, has come out against us using furlough money to pay our staff. He's also written to Rishi Sunak proposing a windfall tax on PL all clubs that use furlough money to pay non-playing staff, apparently. Bournemouth, Norwich, Saudi Sportswashing Machine - and us.

The letter in question -

 

[parklane1]

Do not defend that union
It’s run by an old fool who creams more money out of it than anyone
He is not thinking of anyone other than himself... he is scum

This without a doubt, he is the highest paid union leader and has been sitting on his arse in the Job since 1981. I have come across the guy on many occasions and he is a complete arsehole.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

View attachment 8462


Julian Knight, Chair of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, has come out against us using furlough money to pay our staff. He's also written to Rishi Sunak proposing a windfall tax on PL all clubs that use furlough money to pay non-playing staff, apparently. Bournemouth, Norwich, Saudi Sportswashing Machine - and us.

The letter in question -

View attachment 8463

Shows how out of touch MPs are
If he doesn’t understand why clubs can’t just cut the players wages or the actually tax impact the country gets from those salaries he shouldn’t be in his job
He is proposing the government step in somehow .... bloke is mental
Is he proposing that the governing make actors contribute now theatres and cinemas are closed or that bands pay for staff at empty music venues...
The principal is great but his logic so so far wrong
It has to come from the players or not at all

 

[DubaiSpur]

Shows how out of touch MPs are
If he doesn’t understand why clubs can’t just cut the players wages or the actually tax impact the country gets from those salaries he shouldn’t be in his job
He is proposing the government step in somehow .... bloke is mental
Is he proposing that the governing make actors contribute now theatres and cinemas are closed or that bands pay for staff at empty music venues...
The principal is great but his logic so so far wrong
It has to come from the players or not at all

It's not really a proposal for action - it's a statement of intent, which essentially serves as a) a tool to hurry the PL along, and b) a PR tool for the MP.

For an MP, being able to respond to public outrage by making principled statements ('the purpose of the scheme is not to support the economics of the Premier League clubs') is priceless, because it's free approval for him or her.

I don't think the Chancellor will actually do anything, but this serves as a useful reminder to the players and the League to hurry along in negotiations.

I'm linking it here as an example of how this has snowballed into a bit of a PR disaster for the club, much like how the media is piling in and even our American fans are unhappy. I don't expect the club to listen to the fans, but maybe if they see how bad the PR is, they might reverse course?

 

[Bedfordspurs]

It's not really a proposal for action - it's a statement of intent, which essentially serves as a) a tool to hurry the PL along, and b) a PR tool for the MP.

For an MP, being able to respond to public outrage by making principled statements ('the purpose of the scheme is not to support the economics of the Premier League clubs') is priceless, because it's free approval for him or her.

I don't think the Chancellor will actually do anything, but this serves as a useful reminder to the players and the League to hurry along in negotiations.

I'm linking it here as an example of how this has snowballed into a bit of a PR disaster for the club, much like how the media is piling in and even our American fans are unhappy. I don't expect the club to listen to the fans, but maybe if they see how bad the PR is, they might reverse course?

No chance
Why would they
They made the call for reasons they deemed right at the time
This is a club that makes business decisions better than anyone
Fans don’t always like it but Levy doesn’t care as his sole purpose and vision is to protect the club

 

[DubaiSpur]

Do not defend that union
It’s run by an old fool who creams more money out of it than anyone
He is not thinking of anyone other than himself... he is scum

Fair enough, mate. Only going by what's been reported re: the PFA's stance.

but similarly they are businesses that have to exist after this is over and we’re like lost lower league teams in that we survive within our means. It’s kinda unique in highest level sport over here

Right but, just to give you an example, Arsenal have an identical model to ours, and have committed to paying their staff in full over this time.

Why aren't they citing their lower-league model in the Premier League as a reason to rob their staff and the ordinary taxpayer?

 

[DubaiSpur]

No chance
Why would they
They made the call for reasons they deemed right at the time
This is a club that makes business decisions better than anyone
Fans don’t always like it but Levy doesn’t care as his sole purpose and vision is to protect the club

Right, it makes business decisions better than anyone. Sadly, caring for people often doesn't make business sense.

Good PR makes business sense, though. That's also what's at stake here, and although you're right and the club won't reverse course, at least mounting bad PR will get to Levy more urgently than pleas about societal responsibility will.

And in the unlikely event that Sunak takes the initiative and actually proposes some form of windfall tax - well, we're in uncharted waters re: club response.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Fair enough, mate. Only going by what's been reported re: the PFA's stance.



Right but, just to give you an example, Arsenal have an identical model to ours, and have committed to paying their staff in full over this time.

Why aren't they citing their lower-league model in the Premier League as a reason to rob their staff and the ordinary taxpayer?

Arsenal have committed to paying their staff until the end of April
All clubs will review this periodically
They have no idea when their next £ is coming through the door
And as I’ve said before the club pay more in tax than a LOT of companies e.g Amazon

 

[DubaiSpur]

https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/fo...indfall-tax-threat-salary-anger-a4405326.html

Just an article saying the same thing re: windfall tax.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Right, it makes business decisions better than anyone. Sadly, caring for people often doesn't make business sense.

Good PR makes business sense, though. That's also what's at stake here, and although you're right and the club won't reverse course, at least mounting bad PR will get to Levy more urgently than pleas about societal responsibility will.

And in the unlikely event that Sunak takes the initiative and actually proposes some form of windfall tax - well, we're in uncharted waters re: club response.

We would be on, as the statement is for all clubs that haven’t deducted their players wages... so if that’s proportionate then United and City get dinged the most
At least then we would get skewed tax revenue from those clubs that lose money to pay the players

 

[DubaiSpur]

Arsenal have committed to paying their staff until the end of April
All clubs will review this periodically
They have no idea when their next £ is coming through the door
And as I’ve said before the club pay more in tax than a LOT of companies e.g Amazon

So why can't we? Commit to paying staff until the end of April at least. A month more of full wages, a month less of relying on the taxpayer to pay our staff for us.

We would be on, as the statement is for all clubs that haven’t deducted their players wages... so if that’s proportionate then United and City get dinged the most
At least then we would get skewed tax revenue from those clubs that lose money to pay the players

Not exactly. The letter states that the windfall tax would be sought for clubs having 'two-tiered systems' where staff wages are cut and staff are furloughed, while players remain fully paid.

Us, Norwich, Saudi Sportswashing Machine, Bournemouth. We are presently the clubs employing the two-tier system. Everyone else is currently paying staff and players at 100% - they won't be the focus of this unlikely eventuality.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

So why can't we? Commit to paying staff until the end of April at least. A month more of full wages, a month less of relying on the taxpayer to pay our staff for us.



Not exactly. The letter states that the windfall tax would be sought for clubs having 'two-tiered systems' where staff wages are cut and staff are furloughed, while players remain fully paid.

Us, Norwich, Saudi Sportswashing Machine, Bournemouth. We are presently the clubs employing the two-tier system. Everyone else is currently paying staff and players at 400% - they won't be the focus of this unlikely eventuality.

Read it again
It’s not that clear at all
He starts off taking about that
Then goes on about clubs not cutting players salaries
It’s a really poorly worded reactive letter
Typical in my experience from MPs who aren’t that bright

 

[Bedfordspurs]

This is a guy who wrote a book on tax avoidance (around inheritance tax)

 

[scaramanga]

View attachment 8462


Julian Knight, Chair of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, has come out against us using furlough money to pay our staff. He's also written to Rishi Sunak proposing a windfall tax on PL all clubs that use furlough money to pay non-playing staff, apparently. Bournemouth, Norwich, Saudi Sportswashing Machine - and us.

The letter in question -

View attachment 8463

What a fudgenugget

 

[spitshine]

So, if the players take the hit let’s hope he goes back and agrees to top up the missing 20% of the furloughed wages. He could also take a pay cut himself - or give back the very large personal bonuses he’s been awarded.

That’s a plausible idea and I’m sure he would agree some form of top up.

It was good to see the Health Secretary(responding to a question in the daily update) saying premier league footballers should take a pay cut.

Our Daniel started the debate and now politicians are backing him.

 

[Legohamster]

This without a doubt, he is the highest paid union leader and has been sitting on his arse in the Job since 1981. I have come across the guy on many occasions and he is a complete ********.

If you get the chance and haven’t done already listen to Simon Jordon interview him, he utterly destroys him.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

What a fudgenugget

Well his sentiment is right IMO
But he is trying to push the wrong people
And of course there is the danger that players take pay cuts and where does that money then go?
Is the missing money going to the treasury?
Or are owners doing to keep it?
And of course there would be less tax revenue
It’s actually much more complex than he realises I think