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[spursfan77]

Is it really? People will use absolutely anything to use as a stick to be him with, there's been some utterly pathetic arguments in here from desperate people who generally do not have a clue and love to spin things into a negative to suit their agenda, it's hilarious.

It’s nothing compared to twitter though. People seriously hate the guy. It’s proper weird. I’m not convinced they are actual spurs fans some of them. There is proper bile and spite in what they write. It’s not like that on here.

 

[spursfan77]

Whatever you do don't look into the state aid given to the "world's richest club" Real Madrid over the years. They have been essentially funded by the regional and national government in various ways for years. It will disgust you.

As for Levy's actions - it's sound financial planning from the man whose job it is to look after the financial future of the club. As I said, you will see the vast majority of football league clubs do this in the coming days and weeks. What you won't see is the same level of vitriol levelled at those other clubs and their chairmen by fans. Levy is always public enemy number one, whether or not it's deserved (and sometimes it has been).

I also expect to see the PFA come to a deal with the players where they will take a significant pay cut for several months, not least because the public will gradually start to realise that they are the problem here, not greedy chairmen.

I’m not convinced the PFA will. I wait to be surprised.

 

[Trees]

Which ways are those?

The clubs PR today for a start.

 

[Shadydan]

It’s nothing compared to twitter though. People seriously hate the guy. It’s proper weird. I’m not convinced they are actual spurs fans some of them. There is proper bile and spite in what they write. It’s not like that on here.

There's always been a general anti Levy agenda against him and since we're going through a bad period the sheep have now jumped on the bandwagon, it's herd mentality and Twitter is a place to express your frustrations without any accountability whatsoever, so what if it may be wrong, it just sounds cool because everyone else is saying it.

God forbid our chairman do what he's paid to do and do what's best to keep us financially healthy though

 

[Lifelong]

The thing is none of know how long this will last. To be prudent and put measures in place now is totally the right thing to do. Even when it is over it is not going to back to normal any time soon. And then there is a whole different argument on whether we want ‘normal’ back anyway. Let’s just cut the club/players some slack until we know the whole picture...not that it will change some people’s opinions....

 

[swarvsta]

Don't know if this has been addressed already but no, they absolutely are not classified as employees at all. IR35 reforms haven't hit the private sector yet (and now won't).

You sound very certain for someone who is wrong.

I work in financial services, and have 4 football clubs on my account file.

I can tell you with 100% certainty that all of Sheffield United’s players are employees, for example.

 

[Time for Heroes]

Well someone is wrong here!

 

[coy-spurs1882]

You sound very certain for someone who is wrong.

I work in financial services, and have 4 football clubs on my account file.

I can tell you with 100% certainty that all of Sheffield United’s players are employees, for example.

also in THFC's annual report players are also considered as employees in note 5

 

[swarvsta]

Well someone is wrong here!

Well I have seen Sheffield United’s bank statements and also linked our payments software into their PAYE software (IRIS).

 

[Yid-ol]

also in THFC's annual report players are also considered as employees in note 5

If the are ' considered as emloyees' they aren't employees? Otherwise it would have just said they are employees, and not considered?

 

[glacierSpurs]

TBH, unless you are Lionel Messi, I don't think the players need to reveal to the world they are taking a wage cut? Definitely not from a club managed by Levy I would guess. Somehow it might give any potential suitors of our players in the near future a leverage in negotiations of transfers if that was to happen?

And I don't understand why some are so adamant our players are like spoilt brats not willing to take the cut. Do we really know that it's a firm no? Nothing that we could tell right?

 

[Bobbins]

You sound very certain for someone who is wrong.

I work in financial services, and have 4 football clubs on my account file.

I can tell you with 100% certainty that all of Sheffield United’s players are employees, for example.

Interesting. I know for a fact that all of Manchester United's senior players are contractors.

Source: a friend of mine owns the accountancy firm which they all use (they are instructed to by the club). I'll ask him about other clubs.

 

[swarvsta]

Footballers would fail almost all of the IR35 tests, it’s never been an option for any that I have seen.

The only query I have seen is where players setup their own image rights companies, and look to accept payments for that.

However, I have never seen this working within any clubs I work with. It is usually a method foreign clubs look to use, and abuse. See Lionel Messi.

 

[Bobbins]

Footballers would fail almost all of the IR35 tests, it’s never been an option for any that I have seen.

The only query I have seen is where players setup their own image rights companies, and look to accept payments for that.

However, I have never seen this working within any clubs I work with. It is usually a method foreign clubs look to use, and abuse. See Lionel Messi.

IR35 doesn't apply to the private sector yet in its changed form though (and hopefully won't). You're absolutely right that they definitely would be inside if it were applied.

I know for a fact that at one point United tried to get Rooney to agree to become an employee of the club. He outright refused and several other players and the PFA backed him, the players threatening to refuse to sign contract extensions if the club didn't relent.

Extra source: a (different) friend of mine has ghost-written all of Rooney's autobiographies.

 

[JCRD]

I'm pretty sure our players are missing out on bonuses and appearance fees so by default a large portion of their wages are not being paid. If it is true that bonuses and fees make up large portions of their weekly wages.

 

[spursfan77]

There's always been a general anti Levy agenda against him and since we're going through a bad period the sheep have now jumped on the bandwagon, it's herd mentality and Twitter is a place to express your frustrations without any accountability whatsoever, so what if it may be wrong, it just sounds cool because everyone else is saying it.

God forbid our chairman do what he's paid to do and do what's best to keep us financially healthy though

I just saw one person saying they shouldn’t be taking advantage of the tax payer by taking on the government help. He didn’t like it when I pointed out the club have paid over £40 million in corporation tax in the last two years. ?

 

[coy-spurs1882]

If the are ' considered as emloyees' they aren't employees? Otherwise it would have just said they are employees, and not considered?

it depends on the perspective. for example the sale of players would be classified as disposal of intangible assets from the view of accounting

 

[Lo Amo Speroni]

As I see it, the man is merely pointing out that there is some shit going on at the moment far more important than transfers and football.

 

[JCRD]

Sorry I should add, whilst I am not blaming Levy as I think most companies are going with this approach, I do think Levy should be topping up the salaries to 100%.

The firm im in has furloughed staff but have ensured they are not at any financial loss... ive not been furloughed annoyingly but i respect the fact theyre paying up the extra 20% or whatever amount to bridge the gap to their full salary.

 

[Lighty64]

I'm probably the biggest BSOL here but this is absolutely fucking disgusting from Levy.

The club made a world-record profit of £114m in 17/18 season and £68m in 18/19 season. The club is one of the most rececession-proof industries and regardless of how long this virus goes on, will be just fine.

To reduce the lowest paid staff salaries by 20% and then shift the rest of what they will be paid onto the country so effectively everyone in the country will be paying their wages is despicable. On top of this there may be a long delay before they can get their furloughed wages from the government.

Also whilst it's not the players responsibility to sustain the club's staff, they should have a look in the mirror right now too.

well as most of those profits have been spent on new signings, wages both players and staff all the way down to Doris the tea lady, bonds and rates, and having no income coming into the club and paying players managers and coaches millions in total every week without any glimmer of light that this will end soon, at least he never laid them off completely.

Spurs and Newcastle won't be the only clubs doing this. hopefully, the players will accept a 20% cut so those staff can be paid that extra and put the rest to the NHS or help the lower leagues