Rooney: Public pressure on players to accept pay cut is 'disgrace'

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Wayne Rooney says the public calls for Premier League players to accept a wage reduction amid the coronavirus pandemic are a "disgrace."

Writing in The Times, the Derby County captain primarily took aim at Britain's health secretary, Matt Hancock, who said Thursday that top-tier footballers need to "play their part" financially during the crisis.

"How the past few days have played out is a disgrace," Rooney wrote. "First the health secretary, Matt Hancock, in his daily update on coronavirus, said that Premier League players should take a pay cut. He was supposed to be giving the nation the latest on the biggest crisis we've faced in our lifetimes. Why was the pay of footballers even in his head? Was he desperate to divert attention from his government's handling of this pandemic?"

England and Manchester United's all-time top scorer continued: "The Premier League then announced it was looking for its players to give up or defer wages by 30%. This despite owners and the Premier League board knowing players were already deep in discussion about what their contribution should be. It seemed strange to me because every other decision in this process has been kept behind closed doors, but this had to be announced publicly. Why? It feels as if it's to shame the players - to force them into a corner where they have to pick up the bill for lost revenue."

Rooney said the league's public announcement has put the players in a "no-win" situation.

The Professional Footballers' Association (PFA), the union representing the players, balked at the league's proposed pay cut, claiming the salary reduction would have an adverse effect on the government and National Health Service (NHS) because of the tax contributions that would be lost.

The Premier League, along with all of Europe's major competitions, is currently suspended due to the global pandemic.