Tottenham Hotspur made the headlines for controversial reasons at the end of March when it was announced that they would be using the government’s furlough scheme (SkySports).
Spurs would be putting 550 non-playing staff members onto the scheme, meaning that they would be paid 80% of their normal wages, without Spurs topping up the rest.
The reaction to this decision from the footballing world was overwhelmingly negative, with the likes of Gary Lineker calling out the North London club.
Even the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust released a public statement urging the club to rethink their decision for reputational reasons.
While Liverpool had also announced plans to furlough staff, the league leaders reversed their decision once they received heavy backlash (BBC), something that Tottenham show no signs of doing.
Journalist, Alasdair Gold, has now claimed that the powers that be at Tottenham feel they have been harshly criticised for their decision and that they believe they are doing the right thing for the club and the employees.
He said in a Football London Q&A: ‘Tottenham believe they are doing the right thing for the club and their employees for the long-term and the powers that be feel they’ve been harshly criticised.
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‘However, the timing was dreadful, announcing their intentions before the players had made their decision.
‘That means that Spurs are the only club thus far who have not made the decision to make sure their staff are not financially disadvantaged, which is a terrible look.
‘Even the 40% of staff who have been furloughed – despite that costing the club nothing in wages – will not have that 20% of pay topped up.
‘Even the other clubs who have furloughed staff have been able to do that and many are clubs who are not as financially well run as Tottenham.
‘It looks cheap and of course, there are wider criticisms of a club which is owned in a sense by a billionaire way up the ladder – he owns the company that owns the company that owns Spurs – using taxpayer money to bail them out.
‘Liverpool have reversed their decision but I can’t see Tottenham doing the same unless the players’ help, which will come, is enough to allow them to do so.’
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