Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil and Dr Erkut Sogut’s other clients have all been told NOT to accept a wage cut from their clubs, whilst offering an alternative solution.
A deferral of wages is what the German lawyer suggests should be put in place, especially given that the league and clubs are still hopeful that the league and other competitions are still to be completed, which would see clubs keep their prospective revenues.
There is much attention on footballers and their wages, especially after Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock mentioned this in his daily Coronavirus update this week.
Sogut is furious with the stance taken by the government who are said to be deflecting from their own failings, and urged his players to consider other alternatives than what is offered.
He said: ‘I wouldn’t recommend agreeing a cut today because I don’t know tomorrow if the league will be played, if clubs will get TV sponsorship money.
‘What the exact financial impact is on the clubs, we can see three to six months later – but we can’t see it today.
‘Deferral is an option but not to agree a cut today when the clubs may still make the same profit as last year.
‘When politicians tell players to do their part, it’s a distraction because they can’t even protect NHS staff.
‘It’s easy to target these ‘greedy’ Premier League players – but so many players do so much for charity.’
Ozil’s agent then moves on to claim that a lot of clubs are exaggerating the situation: ‘Premier League clubs are not in the very bad position they are showing themselves in. Most are profitable, a lot have cash reserves.
‘Clubs are in trouble because they mismanage their finances.
‘However, some owners do not care if they lose £50million or £200m. It’s all about prestige. They just want to win a trophy.
‘The club for them is a gaming centre, like playing on a PlayStation. They want to win, it doesn’t matter how.’
Should the agent’s option be put on the table considering the competitions could well still be completed? Should the politicians put their money where their mouths are before talking about footballers?
Patrick
What “should” happen sweet , naive wet behind the ears Patrick, is that all football people, fans players, clubs, agents owners and those who write about it should all get real and stop fooling themselves with false hopes of a summer renewal. It is not happening and until and unless all those folk, yourself included get real this silly uncertainty and cat and mouse salary discussions will go on and on and on.
I would suggest no government in the world could have prepared for the magnitude of what Covid-19 is doing to the world. Our government though are trying to pump money into assisting the NHS, the ill, the redundant and those whose jobs are teetering but hanging in there – just.
There will always be those in society that are unaffected by recessions but largely the least well off are the first to suffer. The British are extraordinarily generous in coming to the aid of others.
I am sure that Özil’s agent is right that the vast majority of his world superstar football players share their wealth but the suggestion that wages should be deferred ‘just’ in case the season completes and the clubs, therefore, don’t lose money just smacks of greed.
It is about being part of the community of the world first and foremost
The people he represents are some of the world’s wealthiest sports stars and to appear to try and hang on to the money doesn’t look good
There are other groups in society who are utterly shameless and should be called out too.
Krkut Sogut has apparently been awarded a “Doctorate” at some stage in his life and as such I assume he has some basic intelligence.Yet his reported comments suggest not only a lack of intelligence and respect but is what I would expect from a group of people who are the leeches who prey on football in pursuit of personal riches.He and his type are an absolute disgrace to our sport and the fact that he prefers deferral to meaningful donation of funds is exactly what I would expect from someone like him.SueP has summed it up perfectly.Very well said.