EPL captains and players have in the Europe have all come out alongside many top-flight players posted a joint statement on social media on Wednesday endorsing the idea to collectively collaborate with each other and donate to help raise fund for NHS. The voluntary donation will be given to charity and also help fight coronavirus.
EPL captains recently agreed to make donations and also the players agreed to take 30% pay cut in order to protect jobs of the non players in their various clubs. Southampton became the first Premier League club to announce their players will defer part of of their salaries to help in financing both their club and the state as well.
Last week, Francis manager Eddie Howe was the first Premier League boss to take a voluntary pay cut, with Brighton’s Graham Potter being the second EPL club to do so. West Ham midfielder Robert Snodgrass, tweeted on his Twitter handle he said: Hancock should “do your homework on what we do and who we are as people”. He wrote, “It’s not about us, it’s about the real heroes… the NHS.”
EPL Captains Reactions
Former Stoke and Burnley striker Jonathan Walters praised the players for establishing their own initiative. “They do get paid a large wage – I’m not here defending that but as soon as you cut that wage, it’s going to affect the money that’s going into the tax,” Walters told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast. The EPL captains are very happy with the move and are commenting on it already.
“This initiative is donating directly to the charities that they want the money to go to. “It’s not as if they’re taking a cut and it’s going back to the owners. One of the EPL Captains Harry Maguire said it had been “heartwarming” to see the nation come together “to show their appreciation to the NHS and other critical workers”.
Meanwhile, Wolves skipper Conor Coady says footballers “want to make as much difference as possible” during this “horrible time”. “Footballers are good people,” defender Coady, 27, said. “We want to try and help the right people at the right times, to make sure that people are getting the best possible care. It’s a horrible, horrible time we’re in.
“It’s about everybody coming together, not trying to point fingers at certain people within the world and trying to say they’re not doing enough.” The former Liverpool player also praised the “absolutely brilliant” Anfield captain Henderson for driving the captains’ initiative.