By Daily Sports on April 7, 2020

Liverpool have reversed their decision to place some non-playing staff on temporary leave and apologised to fans.

On Saturday, the club said they were going to apply to the government’s taxpayer-funded job retention scheme, sparking a fierce backlash.

But in a letter to their fans, chief executive Peter Moore said: “We believe we came to the wrong conclusion last week and are truly sorry for that.”

He added that the Reds have “opted to find alternative means” to pay staff.

The U-turn came after mounting criticism had led to talks between the club’s US owners Fenway Sports Group, executives and key stakeholders.

Liverpool had become the fifth Premier League team to furlough non-playing staff with the season suspended indefinitely because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Staff affected were to receive 80% of their salary through the scheme and the club would make up the difference, despite making a profit of £42m last year. Liverpool are the world’s seventh-richest football club.

The decision was criticised by former Liverpool players Jamie Carragher and Stan Collymore.

Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Bournemouth and Norwich City had already announced they will furlough some non-playing staff.

“Despite the fact we were in a healthy position prior to this crisis, our revenues have been shut off yet our outgoings remain,” said Moore.

“And like almost every sector of society, there is great uncertainty and concern over our present and future.

“Like any responsible employer concerned for its workers in the current situation, the club continues to prepare for a range of different scenarios, around when football can return to operating as it did before the pandemic.

“These scenarios range from best case to worst, and everything in between.

“It is an unavoidable truth that several of these scenarios involve a massive downturn in revenue, with correspondingly unprecedented operating losses.

“Having these vital financial resources so profoundly impacted would obviously negatively affect our ability to operate as we previously have.” (BBC)

•PHOTO: Liverpool players

Source Daily Sports

Posted April 7, 2020

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