FOOTBALL legend Gary Lineker has backed more Premier League stars to help out during the coronavirus crisis.
The former Tottenham star and now Match Of The Day host has agreed to donate two months salary – around £300,000, to the British Red Cross.
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Gary Lineker has donated two months salary to the British Red CrossCredit: Getty Images – Getty
And he thinks similar moves will be made by some of the sports top stars as clubs face up to harsh economic times.
Sharing a Just Giving link on Twitter, the 59-year-old wrote: “Decided to donate a couple months salary to the @britishredcross who are doing vital work to the most vulnerable during this coronavirus crisis.
“Feel incredible fortunate to be able to do this. If you’d like to join in it would be greatly appreciated.”
Lineker also responded to a tweet put out by Labour MP David Lammy, who criticised pro footballers.
He wrote: “It’s criminal that Premier League footballers haven’t moved more quickly to take pay cuts and deferrals.
“And completely wrong that taxpayers are now being asked to subsidise cleaners, caterers and security guards at these clubs instead.”
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It comes after Spurs, who Lammy supports, became the second Premier League club after Newcastle to slash wages for non-playing staff.
But Lineker believes it is less that footballers aren’t interested in helping those less fortunate out, but more that they don’t know how best to go about doing it.
He wrote: “It’s not criminal. Fact is players are not training together so meetings would take time to organise.
“I’m positive most of them would want to do something to help but don’t know how, or worry about treading a lonely path.
“Let’s give them a chance to act before we all wade in.”
CLICK HERE IF YOU’D LIKE TO JOIN GARY LINEKER AND DONATE TO THE BRITISH RED CROSS
Following Spurs putting many of their staff on furlough leave, chairman Levy warned the management and playing staff that they will “have to do their bit” in the current coronavirus crisis.
Boss Jose Mourinho pockets an incredible £290,000-a-week at the London club, while star striker Harry Kane makes £200k-a-week.
Levy, who was the Prem’s best-paid exec last season with £7million, confirmed in a club statement: “The club’s operations have effectively ceased, some of our fans will have lost their jobs and most will be worried about their future.
“The club has an annual cost base running into hundreds of millions of pounds.
“We have seen some of the biggest clubs in the world such as Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Juventus take steps to reduce their costs.
“We ourselves made the difficult decision to reduce the renumeration of all 550 non-playing directors and employees for April and May by 20 per cent utilising, where appropriate, the Government’s furlough scheme.
“We hope the current discussions between the Premier League, PFA and LMA will result in players and coaches doing their bit for the football eco system.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
