09 Aug 2020 09:03:11
-The club asks players to take pay cuts so that they can keep the whole staff employed during C.V. Most of the players agree to this.
-The club announces redundancies for 55 staff members stating financial reasons.
-If rumours turn out to be true the club will soon sign Aubameyang on a new improved contract + Willian on a free transfer but on big wages.

For me this is just not acceptable. Clearly the club has money if they can sign new players, they just want to use C.V. as an excuse to get rid of staff they don't need anymore. And they have money because they asked the players to take pay cuts promising them the money would go for the staff. They have essentially betrayed both the players and those 55 members of staff.

It hasn't been easy being an Arsenal supporter in recent years. The performances have slowly been declining and standards dropping. What for me has made this whole negative trend easier to bare with has been the thought that at least the club is a class act doing things the proper way. Until now at least.

While there's no way i'm ever going to support any other club i'm finding supporting Arsenal very difficult at the moment. Nothing against the players, nothing against the coaches, but the management is a disgrace. I will be supporting the players and Arteta while Arsenal play, but that's all the support the club is going to get from me. No merchandise, no social media following to boost their numbers, no attending games for me (that last part would be pretty difficult anyway currently xD) . Until things change at least.

It's painful but luckily there's more to life than just football :)

1.) 09 Aug 2020
09 Aug 2020 10:42:46
The problem is what's real and what's positive spin?
Was there really any player unrest at the 55 job losses? Or were they all on holiday and simply getting on with thier own life's?
Have the players really taken a pay cut?
Or simple agreed to having part of their wages being defered until things return to normal when all defered wages will be paid in full to each player?
Headlines proclaiming player solidarity with the working class people who've lost thier jobs looks great in the news until people start asking questions and suddenly the players have the burden of proof landed their door steps but not through they're own making.

2.) 09 Aug 2020
09 Aug 2020 13:36:21
I agree Iceman. I have not been in love with the sport of football for a few years now and I find myself increasingly sad about how the sport and our club in particular conduct themselves.

3.) 09 Aug 2020
09 Aug 2020 20:26:36
I am also upset over the job losses but fear that in the big picture this may be just the tip of the iceberg on what’s to come, sadly.

Maybe Arsenal are being sensible doing this early so will be long forgotten in the bad times that are on the horizon.

Looking around, airlines will still be buying new planes while culling staff, financial firms will be investing in new tech, whilst culling staff, the armed forces buying new equipment whilst cutting soldiers etc.

The world is facing a possible major recession next year, and our economy has already been hit bigger than the entire years healthcare and education budget combined, with massive bills still to be paid.

So in that big picture, Arsenal may look back and say this is a prudent move. I just wish we didn’t do it within a week of the FACup victory, and just before we are about to sign overripe players in positions we don’t even need (if rumours are true of course).

4.) 09 Aug 2020
09 Aug 2020 23:16:07
Arsenal like any company are claiming a loss, players taking a pay cut will not go towards paying the tea lady.

5.) 10 Aug 2020
10 Aug 2020 19:38:32
Many companies will do what Arsenal are doing and as a football club, the players are our top priority. Many companies will use a C.V. 19 as an excuse to right size their real estate footprint, staffing and other expenditure.

Many companies will have no choice and do whatever it takes to maintain talent but shed any fat. We’ve got Brexit and the recession to cope with.

It’s no surprise that our great club is making the cuts, it hurts that with our wage bill that these 55 are being cut when we believed they were secure and I doubt 2m makes a huge difference. I just wish we had been honest and said we need to evolve our structure.

We’ve reduced the youth scouting to great effect and this is the next evolution - we’ve got a minimal shareholder interest so why not be transparent?

It won’t just be us but it hurts because it’s us. hope the 55 get a decent deal and find jobs.