ANDROS TOWNSEND believes Premier League stars are being painted as the villains of the coronavirus crunch.
The Crystal Palace winger hit back after Health Secretary Matt Hancock called for top-flight aces to take pay cuts and wage deferral as the country battles to get a grip on Covid-19.
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Crystal Palace ace Andros Townsend has stated that footballers must do more to help out in the fight against coronavirusCredit: PA:Press Association
The Professional Footballers’ Association have accepted that players must “share the financial burden” to mitigate the impact of the pandemic.
Townsend said: “Football is trying to do a lot of good. To wake up yesterday and see footballers being painted as villains was a bit of a surprise to be honest.
“I have never been more proud to be a footballer. Since this crisis started to see the work that the players and clubs have done in the community. At Palace we have helped out the homeless, donated to local charities.
“Individual players are thinking about ways which they can help. I am involved in a campaign, Football United, raising money for the emergency trust. Marcus Rashford has helped feed over 400,000 school children in Manchester.”
Tottenham and Newcastle have forced non-playing staff to take a 20 per cent cut in wages after football in this country was suspended until at least April 30.
Bournemouth chief Eddie Howe and Brighton’s Graham Potter have taken a voluntary drop in their pay.
Health Minister Hancock waded into the debate on Thursday as he joined the growing number of people demanding all top-flight players take a cut in their salaries – even though such a drop would require ratification from the PFA and League Managers Association.
Townsend, speaking on talkSPORT, said: “The Health Secretary, deflecting blame onto footballers, I don’t think that is right. His job is the responsibility of NHS workers.
“He is coming out and deflecting onto the easy targets, the footballers, and that doesn’t sit right with me.
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“We do have a responsibility but we are giving back to the community and rightly so. We are in a very privileged position. The community effectively pay our wages.
“At a time like this we need to give back.”
Manchester United stars are set to donate 30 per cent of their month’s salaries to the NHS in the fight to help the coronavirus pandemic.
Man Utd stars to ‘donate 30% of wages to NHS’ and become first Prem club to slash salaries in coronavirus fight
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
