Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has criticised some football clubs for “going their own way” during the coronavirus pandemic.
Several Premier League sides have come in for criticism for using a government scheme to furlough non-playing staff. Liverpool are the latest, joining the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, Bournemouth and Norwich City.
The English top flight failed to come to an agreement on Saturday for players to take 30 percent pay cuts during the crisis. The Professional Footballers’ Association and the clubs have so far not come to an agreement.
“This isn’t just about the Premier League,” Wilder told BBC’s Football Focus. “It’s about the welfare of the game as well, right the way through the pyramid. We have to look after clubs below us.
“It’s important we get it right and we don’t go individual, we don’t just look after ourselves. It’s a little bit disappointing we see clubs making individual statements and going their own way. I think it’s important we really do pull together as an industry.”
Football clubs criticised during coronavirus outbreak
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Health secretary Matt Hancock singled out top flight footballers in a recent speech. He said they should “take a pay cut and play their part”, as quoted by BBC Sport.
Yet Wilder thinks that is unfair.
“I think it’s always disappointing when some people are deflecting and finger-pointing at this time when people are seriously ill and dying,” the 52-year-old continued.
“We’ve got a huge conscience about what we do and doing the right thing and I’m sure we will do the right thing. Through the PFA, through the LMA from our point-of-view, who look after the managers. The Premier League, the EFL, the FA will always do the right thing.”
It is also not known if the current 2019/20 season will be concluded. As things stand it is suspended until at least April 30, but in truth the postponement is likely to continue far longer than that.
There are doubts over whether the campaign will finish at all, but Wilder is determined that it should be concluded.