We all know who\u2019s to blame for the failings of the government during the COVID-19 pandemic: footballers. That is, at least, what Matt Hancock will keep telling you until you\u2019re blindly repeating it, the routine spin diverting your attention from the individuals and corporations who manage to get by only paying 30p of tax.<\/h3>\n

The fall out between professional footballers, their clubs and the government will undoubtedly continue to spew ill-will into the coming months (and as for Barcelona, who knows when). From the deflections of Hancock to the Premier League clubs who rushed to furlough their employees to the players who\u2019ve taken cuts and those who\u2019ve donated to charity, the feeling is very much that footballers are the good guys.<\/h3>\n

There is no getting away from the eye-popping amounts of money that players at the top of the men\u2019s game make, even gently easing down the rungs of the pyramid; being a male footballer can be rather lucrative. And those within the game who command the big bucks have earnt a lot of good will in the last few weeks by taking wage cuts to divert club money to non-playing staff or just by donating a portion of their wages directly to other causes (and cutting out the rabble about lost tax revenue).<\/p>\n

One of the most notable has been the #PlayersTogether initiative Jordan Henderson spearheaded that\u2019s seen Premier League footballers directly pay into charitable causes to help the NHS with the entire England Women\u2019s squad agreeing to make a collective donation.<\/p>\n

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#PlayersTogether<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/nkyyh1delS<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Steph Houghton MBE (@stephhoughton2) April 14, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n