06 April 2020

Piers Morgan calls Liverpool FC's move to furlough staff 'astonishingly stupid'

Good Morning Britain presenter Piers Morgan has said Liverpool are 'astonishingly stupid' for furloughing their staff after building a good reputation.

The football club announced last week they will furlough backroom staff during the coronavirus pandemic.

Morgan hit out at the current Premier League leaders for the move on his programme today.

"The owners of Liverpool Football Club built up such a good reputation in recent years. Under Jurgen Klopp and winning the Champions League and this dynamic wonderful team. Everyone was proud, everyone loved what Liverpool were standing for.

"All gone, all gone because their billionaire owners in America decided this was a good time, in a year where they made £45 million profit, that they were going to furlough their staff.

"They were going to get the British taxpayer to pay 80% of the salaries of Liverpool staff. This is when they're paying players millions a year, five to ten million they are paying some of those players.

"This is when they're making tens and hundreds of millions of pounds in gate receipts, fees for winning the Champions League and so on.

"What an astonishingly stupid decision by Liverpool Football Club."

Liverpool are not the only Premier League club to furlough their staff. 

Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Bournemouth and Norwich City have also all made the decision.

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