‘Double-edged sword’ – Exclusive: Robinson hits back at calls for big sanction against Leeds
We’re delighted to welcome former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at Leeds United…
Paul Robinson has hit back at calls for Leeds United to be hit with a transfer embargo after the Whites angered some of their Championship rivals by deferring player wages.
Leeds were one of the first clubs to announce that while football was on hold due to coronavirus, players would be taking a temporary pay cut and have their wages deferred until matches were back on.
Although the club would eventually have to pay back what players have missed out on in the last month-and-a-half, an unnamed Championship club chief told the Sun that “clubs should be in for a transfer embargo” if they have deferred wages.
The belief is that Leeds are saving money now and that will hand them an advantage in the transfer market once the transfer window re-opens.
Preston manager Alex Neil also supported the call for a big sanction against Leeds, by telling LancsLive that it “cannot be fair” for the Whites to defer wages and then operate as normal once football is back on.
Ex-Leeds goalkeeper Robinson has taken a different view and has supported Leeds’ decision because it keeps the money inside football, rather than letting it flow out and crippling the game’s economy.
“We’re living in unprecedented times and people are always going to have their opinions on what should and shouldn’t happen,” Robinson told MOT Leeds News.
“Clubs have furloughed staff for a reason – to save money in the long-run. Whether that affects their transfer policy and their ability to sign players or not remains to be seen in the future.
“I find it really difficult and I suspect the people having to make these decisions, it’s difficult.
“Clubs are saying they’ve furloughed staff because they can’t afford to pay wages but then go and spend £2million or £3million, you can see their point.
“But, at the same time, you’ve got to keep some money in the game. The transfer of players is key to the finances of the game and it’s key for a lot of smaller clubs to sell players on. And if other clubs lose the ability to buy these players then the money’s not in football.
“It’s a double-edged sword, really. And it’s not just transfers there are a lot of decisions that have to be made in the coming weeks about start dates, transfers, contracts that will have a knock-on effect on football for the next few years.”
Robinson makes a really good point but the point of Leeds’ deferring wages is that the players will still be owed what they have missed out on once this has all blown over.
Leeds will not be in a better financial position because of this. In fact, no club will be in a good financial state except those who are backed by ultra-rich owners in the Premier League.
Hopefully Andrea Radrizzani’s plan to get the club through these unprecedented times will work out well.
In other Leeds United news, Phil Hay shares what he’s been told by EFL doctors.