His pledge came as Premier League captains came up with a three point plan aimed at solving the wage row with bosses that is in danger of leaving English football in meltdown. Premier League clubs have met stubborn resistance from players and Taylor’s Professional Footballers Association over proposals to impose a 30 per cent wage cut to help in the coronavirus crisis.
More talks took place on Monday, as all 20 Premier League captains held video conferences with club officials and league officers in a bid to thrash out an agreement.
The players were especially keep to stress three key factors that they want assurances on:
* That they can make a combined donation of their own direct to the NHS – as well as other charities.
* They senior club executives agree to take similar wage cuts as to what is expected of their players.
* Players want to make a separate donation to help save the jobs of non-playing staff, young players and community programme staff at their clubs – but want written assurances that savings made will not go back into the pockets of those running the clubs.
Under fire PFA chief executive Taylor, who many players feel should be taking his own pay cut, and that the union have not been helpful so far in this crisis said: “There is no impasse.
“The players accept the seriousness of the situation. But they do not want conditions to be imposed on them.
“If their money is being affected, they want to know what’s happening with it, and they would like to have the choice of where it goes to.
“Players really want to sit down and work this out, on a club by club basis.”
But Taylor also pointed out: ”A lot of the foreign players want to help out with their own countries. They want a choice if their money is being affected, where that money is going.”
Talks are set to continue between players, clubs and the PFA on Tuesday, with the aim of having concrete proposals to put to the League before the end of the week.
The Premier League are eager to get the situation sorted out before they face the very real threat of a windfall tax imposed by the government, who are watching the situation closely, which would cost the game even more millions than they are set to lose anyway while football is on hold.
