John Barnes defends Liverpool’s US billionaire owners to fleece British taxpayers, whilst also hitting back at Piers Morgan.
The Reds have been widely criticised after opting to utilise the government’s job retention scheme in response to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.
"In terms of the myth that football clubs are just awash with money and they're just holding all this money back, that is not the case."@officialbarnesy lays into @piersmorgan and football fans for criticising Liverpool's government-funded furlough pic.twitter.com/pfBzFcPtrD
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) April 6, 2020
John Barnes has defended Liverpool’s decision to furlough staff and believes more Premier League clubs will follow suit.
He said: “On the face of it you may think it doesn’t look good, obviously because the company (makes) a lot of money.
“But this is a strategy that the government have offered to all companies.
“I don’t see how you can offer it to any company and say ‘this is what we will do for any business’ and then criticise them when they do it.
“Every football club is in the same boat, and I’ll be surprised if more clubs don’t do it.”
And Barnes added: “Maybe Liverpool call their furlough now and are better placed in three or four months’ time when we know more the financial implications of sponsorship and what’s going to come in to stop the furlough.
“Maybe they can actually manage their finances better, rather than clubs who, if they don’t play for six or eight months, all of a sudden have to lay off workers.
“No-one at Liverpool has been laid off, no-one at Liverpool is not getting 100% of their salary. The fact that it’s not coming from Liverpool is neither here nor there as far as I’m concerned.”
Barnes, speaking to Joe.co.uk, hit back at Piers Morgan, who has voiced his outrage of Liverpool’s approach.
'What I loved was the stoicism based on history and experience.' @piersmorgan says the Queen, as always, hit the perfect tone in her rare address to the nation over the coronavirus pandemic. pic.twitter.com/ReJ4iEpB6A
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) April 6, 2020
“When people like Piers Morgan are talking about billionaire owners in America having loads of money and the club having made a big profit, you have to understand that if Liverpool post a profit in March 2020, that is going to be gone in three weeks,” he said.
“This whole idea that football clubs are just awash with money and they have money to spend so therefore they can afford to do this, that’s crazy.
“They make loads of money, but they spend loads of money.
“In terms of the myth football clubs are just holding all this money back and their staff are being furloughed, that is not the case.”
Fans reacted as John Barnes defends Liverpool‘s US billionaire owners to fleece British taxpayers…
If clubs lower down the leagues use this scheme then fine, they won’t have loads of money and loss of hate receipts will be hurting! However you simply cannot defend any premier league club taking taxpayer money to pay staff, it’s ridiculous!
— Chris Plant (@planty79) April 6, 2020
— Mikey Gregory ?? (@MikeyGregory) April 6, 2020
Scousers always with the excuses. They made a profit of just under £50 million last season on revenues of 1/2 billion. The furlough would of cost them 800k. They could well afford to pay their staff but it’s scousers so first thought is to put their hand out Ashamed of nothing.
— Forever Red (@Jipjap74) April 6, 2020
It can't be excused no matter how partisan you are to your club.
It's the equivalent of a billionaire using a food bank simply because it's available.
— GrandOldTeam (@grandoldteam) April 6, 2020
The scheme was introduced primarily to support companies who are bound to struggle during this tough period, not for a multi-billion pound club to save a few quid. It’s immoral and unfair, taxpayers money that is being used to pay Liverpool’s staff should be spent on the NHS.
— The Gwladys Street (@TheGwladysSt) April 6, 2020
Barnes should be embarrassed to be taking this stance. Just because it’s available to all clubs, it doesn’t mean it’s a good idea for them to do it, nor will all clubs do it either. Just a reminder that they are continuing to pay their playing and coaching staff full wages…
— Stan (@D_R_Stan) April 6, 2020
Your wrong John very plain and simple, it’s taking advantage of a system and if my club does it I’ll call them out on it as well! You’ll never walk alone has now become a joke!
— paul henshaw (@Henjnr) April 6, 2020
He seems to have missed the point that it’s not the government criticising Liverpool’s decision – it’s the public.
— Tom Sampson (@t_sampson_) April 6, 2020
Wish I earnt 2.5k a month
— Mrs Harris (@KazzyKazzz) April 6, 2020
Hotel Football of Class of 92 is also given to the NHS
— N.V ? (@utd_nv) April 6, 2020
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