PFA chief Gordon Taylor has hit back at the health secretary Matt Hancock over his criticism of footballers, asking why bankers haven’t faced similar government pressure to take pay-cuts during the coronavirus pandemic.
Hancock singled out elite footballers during a press conference last week, calling for stars to “play their part”. By that point, conversations had already begun between players from all 20 top flight clubs over a plan to help support the NHS, leading to the #PlayersTogether initiative launching on Wednesday.
In the interim, the Premier League had proposed a 30 per cent wage deferral for all its players, but the idea was rejected by the PFA, who warned that such a cut would cost the government £200million in tax contributions.
Speaking to beIN SPORTS, Taylor revealed his frustration at events of the past week.
"I find it quite extraordinary that government doesn't realise - and it should do because of what the game puts back into the economy - the money that football spends on its community initiatives, the tax it pays," Taylor said.
"And just to highlight footballers when there are many other sportsmen, bankers, hedge funds -- I could give you a long list of people in jobs for life whose income is more.
"Footballers have reached the top of a mountain that has took a long, long time to climb and they get what they deserve.
"Premier League players felt that they were being put into a corner, particularly by government. They also saw the irony that even if they took a pay cut... that money would be lost to the government... and that would be counterproductive."
