How the PL captains’ WhatsApp group reacted to Liverpool’s PR nightmare

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Liverpool’s decision to furlough non-playing staff and allow the government to pay 80% of their wages during the COVID-19 pandemic has gone down like a led balloon with fans and the media.

At EOTK, we are embarrassed by the choice FSG have made, which ruins much of the good-will they’ve rightly earned over the past few years for work in the community.

We are told that ‘This Means More,’ by various marketing campaigns, but the manner and speed in which this was announced suggests that’s all the slogan is – a marketing move.

Miguel Delaney in the Independent has explained how the Premier League captains’ WhatsApp group was especially annoyed by the news – especially when the government and club owners are pressuring them to reduce wages and donate to hospices.

“From that perspective, the captains’ Whatsapp group was said to be especially irritated with Liverpool, and the timing of their Saturday announcement,” he writes.

““Many are irate,” one involved source said. “Put it all on the players and then just take government money.””

Immediately after Liverpool were derided for their decision, Manchester City announced they’d be paying staff in full and not using any government schemes in order to do so.

Some will claim this was a PR move in itself, but at the end of the day, it’s the right thing to do and what Liverpool should have done in the first place.

In the next few days, we’re expecting a response from the club to the backlash. We’re hoping they retract the decision – but let’s see what they say.

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