TOTTENHAM have made a dramatic U-turn over their controversial decision to furlough non-playing staff after the club was hit by a furious backlash.
Jamie Redknapp led the outcry from former Spurs stars as Daniel Levy finally gave up on his unpopular penny-pinching plan and confirmed wages will be paid in full throughout April and May.
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Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has reversed his decision to furlough non-playing staffCredit: PA:Press Association
Tottenham’s announcement came a week after Liverpool confirmed that they had also reversed their decision to put their staff on furlough leave.
Chairman Levy said: “The criticism the club has received over the last week has been felt all the more keenly because of our track record of good works and our huge sense of responsibility to care for those that rely on us, particularly locally.
“It was never our intent, as custodians, to do anything other than put measures in place to protect jobs whilst the club sought to continue to operate in a self-sufficient manner during uncertain times.
“We regret any concern caused during an anxious time and hope the work our supporters will see us doing in the coming weeks, as our stadium takes on a whole new purpose, will make them proud of their club.”
Tottenham’s change of heart does not include the club’s board of directors however, who will continue to take a 20 per cent pay cut until the end of May.
We regret any concern caused during an anxious time and hope the work our supporters will see us doing in the coming weeks make them proud of their club
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy
In a club statement released on Monday, the club said: “In our last update we said we would keep our position under review, especially in the context of revised budgets and cost cutting.
“Having done so we have decided that all non-playing staff, whether full-time, casual or furloughed, will receive 100% of their pay for April and May. Only the board will take salary reductions.
“With no clarity on when football might resume and under what conditions, we shall continue to keep this under ongoing review. We should like to thank our staff for their incredible support and understanding.
“We are acutely aware that many supporters were against the decision we made regarding furloughing staff who could not carry out their jobs from home – due to the nature of their work – and our intention to apply, if applicable, for the coronavirus job retention scheme (CJRS), a scheme designed to ensure that jobs and employment rights are protected.
“Indeed we have seen opposition from fans to fellow Premier League clubs accessing the CJRS too. This once again underlines that we bear different pressures to other businesses, many of whom have and will continue to apply for support from the scheme as the government intended.
“In view of supporter sentiment regarding the scheme, it is now not our intention to make use of the current CJRS that runs until the end of May.
“We shall consult with stakeholders, including the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust with whom we have been in dialogue over the past week and who share our desire to protect jobs, should circumstances change going forward.”
Jamie Redknapp – whose dad Harry managed the north Londoners for nearly four years before being axed in 2012 – had slammed the way Levy runs the club.
He told Sky Sports: “He gives me a lot of opportunities to do so, having been there.
“I have nothing against him personally. People say it’s because he sacked my dad. That was such a long time ago and a lot has happened since then.
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“I just feel at times Tottenham don’t act like a big club like they should do.
“The way they acted with furloughing, other clubs have done it like Newcastle and Norwich, I get that, but I know full well Tottenham’s finances and they have plenty of money behind them. It just didn’t sit right with me.
“The way they looked after players and the way they looked after staff when I was there, it was very disappointing – and unfortunately it’s arisen again.”
Laura Woods doesn’t think it’s right for Premier League clubs like Tottenham and Liverpool to use the government’s furlough scheme
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
