Some Liverpool fans have continued to give their backing to the club’s owners FSG following the much-maligned decision on Saturday to place some non-playing staff on furlough.
As noted by BBC, some Liverpool FC employees have been put on temporary leave under the government’s job retention scheme, through which they will receive 80% of their salary, with the club footing the remainder. The Anfield club have joined Newcastle, Tottenham, Bournemouth and Norwich in furloughing some non-playing staff as clubs seek to stem cash flow deficits amid the cessation of football due to the coronavirus pandemic. [via BBC]
Since taking the reins at Liverpool in 2010, FSG have helped the club to climb from mid-table drudgery to being champions of Europe and on the brink of a first league title in 30 years, bankrolling major signings such as £75m for Virgil van Dijk (as per BBC) and £66.9m for Alisson (as per The Guardian). However, the weekend’s decision to furlough some employees was castigated by many Reds supporters as well as ex-player Jamie Carragher.
Have your feelings on FSG changed at all since yesterday’s furloughing announcement?
Do you still think they’re great owners who made a mistake? See it as purely business? Or embarrassed at them as it goes against everything our club is?
Interested to hear your thoughts ??
— Anfield Edition (@AnfieldEdition) April 5, 2020
On Twitter, @AnfieldEdition asked Liverpool fans if their perception of FSG had been discoloured by Saturday’s contentious move. These Kopites responded to insist that they still firmly back the club’s owners despite the furlough, with one saying that it was a “sensible” decision:
It’s business. Everyone loves it when we break our transfer record but they become socialists when we save a bit of money.
— Year of Evolution (@Patrick_9_6) April 5, 2020
They didn’t make a mistake. This is between LFC and the government… if the government is ok with it people should be upset at the government. Not at LFC. LFC paid taxes, entitled to help like any other business.
— Glenn HODL (@glennHODL92) April 5, 2020
Their handling of the business side of the club has been exemplary since they arrived, the future of all Premier League clubs is v unpredictable in these times so if they take up a government offer then to me it’s sensible business!! #LFC
— Andy Cummins ?? (@andrewcummins64) April 5, 2020
Fully with them. The right decision given the circumstances & goes alongside who we are.
— Matt Provost (@MattProvostHR) April 5, 2020
They’re business people looking at ways to maximise their profits during this time. Everyone’s doing that,they’re just making different decisions at this point.
The professional decisions ALWAYS supercede the moral decisions when you’re in that position.
— AberpudlianKev (@AberpudlianKev1) April 5, 2020
I don’t agree with the decision, but I get it.
Fully behind FSG
— Gus (@GucciHendo) April 5, 2020
People forget everything FSG has done for us. If it wasn’t for the them we probably wouldnt even be in this position we’re in now to have this debate. This is a temporary thing until we all get out of this crazy situation.
— ??? BOOM ??? (@red9uk) April 5, 2020
I see it as business. People love to focus on the negatives in the world, to me it isn’t even a negative, they’ve done a lot of good which is never really praised.
— Vigo (@VigoGJ) April 5, 2020
Liverpool fans, have your views on FSG changed after the furloughing of some non-playing staff at the club? Join in the discussion by commenting below!
