Mitch Freeley

Sam Allardyce has insisted that the government should "stay out of" the ongoing pay dispute between Premier League clubs and players in wake of the coronavirus crisis.  

Speaking on the Keys & Gray show, the ex Everton boss was defiant on politicians having their say on the issue, including health secretary Matt Hancock who called for players to donate a proportion of their wages to help health services in the UK. 

"The politicians should stay out of it."

"They have got enough on their plate without coming trying to assert more pressure in a difficult situation they've got enough to be coping with, rather than trying to create a problem within the game and within the public and the press writing headlines about it again" explained Allardyce. 

Whilst the 65-year old manager came to the defence of footballers, adding that you have not seen other high-profile sports stars pressured into donations.

"We don't see anybody writing about other top sportsmen who earn millions and millions of pounds cutting their wages by 30 or 40%."

"It's the same old, same old, always aimed at the footballers and that annoys me."

Speaking more broadly about the impending financial crisis facing Premier League clubs, Allardyce admitted that he could be a tough few months for some sides in the top-flight, adding that players should be looking to defer their wages during this time. 

"There are not too many Premier League clubs, who won't go into debt with this problem if it continues by paying the full wages."

"Deferral of payments should obviously be done by players."

League leaders Liverpool quickly U-turned on their decision to use the government furlong scheme to pay non-playing staff, after a significant backlash from the fans and the ex Everton boss revealed that this decision from clubs, has sparked a media backlash which puts the players in the spotlight. 

"I think this all erupted by the furloughing of staff outside of the football club. That is a big disappointment."

Whilst Allardyce shared how he would go about the situation if he was managing a club. 

"If I was a manager, I would sit with the players and say can we not support the staff and keep them on the wages."

"Can we not give some of our wages and tell the club we want to pay them 100% until them (the staff) come back to the club. Without them you don't have a football club, you need those people, they love the football club and you need to support them in these hard times."

"Premier League footballers can support the staff who are worried about their families and worried where their next wage packet will come from."

You can hear more from Sam Allardyce on the Keys & Gray show available on Youtube.