Italy's soccer coaches have joined their players in criticising Serie A's recommendation that clubs impose wage cuts of two to four months' pay on them during the coronavirus outbreak.
Renzo Ulivieri, president of the Italian coaches' association (AIAC), said that Serie A's announcement was overbearing and that reductions were inadmissible for lower-ranked coaching staff who in some cases earn below the national average.
On Monday, Serie A proposed cutting annual wages by one-third if the competition - which has been suspended since March 9 - was unable to resume this season and by one-sixth if it was able to restart. It added that each club would have to negotiate the cuts with its coaching and playing staff.
"The declaration of the Serie A League seems improvised to us because we still don't know what will happen to the championships," Ulivieri said in a statement.
"We would like to avoid controversy because it is not the time. But the tone of the statement, which seems overbearing, is obviously not to our liking."
Ulivieri said that, while Italy's top coaches had already said they were willing to contribute with wage reductions, it was a different story for many lower paid assistants and other members of coaching staff.
"It should be remembered, that there are 'other' coaches, instructors, trainers and collaborators employed by football clubs who have merely working incomes, sometimes even below the national average," said Ulivieri.
"On these incomes, it is inadmissible to think of any reduction."
(Writing by Brian Homewood; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
