Salary-cut plans could come with heavy price

Proposals to slash player wages using 'single standard' seem unworkable for stricken Chinese Super League clubs

Hot on the heels of their European counterparts, the Chinese Super League has approved proposals to cut salary as soccer's worldwide shutdown leaves many clubs facing a battle for financial survival.

The Chinese Football Association on Thursday announced that wage cuts have been agreed for all three of its professional leagues but declined to confirm by how much, merely stating that a "single standard" would apply at each team.

"Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all levels of China's professional leagues had to postpone their 2020 season, which has brought financial difficulties to the clubs and their investors," read a CFA announcement released following an online conference with clubs.

"There are strong voices urging the easing of pressure on clubs and reasonably reducing salaries… After a thorough discussion, all representatives agreed, in principle, on a salary cut that will be imposed after negotiations between clubs and players. The salary cut period should be counted from March 31 until the start of 2020 season."

In Europe, Spanish giants Barcelona and Atletico Madrid have agreed to slash their salaries by a whopping 70 percent, with that figure dropping down to between 10 and 20 percent for Real Madrid and others.

In Italy, Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates at Juventus are taking a 30 percent hit over four months until June. English Premier League teams are in talks with the players' union over a 30 percent cut as clubs come under pressure from politicians and the public to do their bit to help out non-playing staff-some of whom have been furloughed by the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United.

Details of the CFA's plan remain sketchy, with the governing body saying guidelines will be drawn up by a working group comprised of representatives from the CFA, clubs, players, coaches and legal experts.

Observers are skeptical that the CFA's aim of applying a "single standard" is workable given the vast disparity in earnings between foreign stars and Chinese players.

There are fears that dramatic salary reductions could scare off some of the league's imported stars, with Guangzhou R&F's Israeli striker Eran Zahavi already making it clear he disagrees with the policy.

According to a Guangzhou Daily report last week, Zahavi, who has won the CSL's Golden Boot award twice, opposes cuts of any kind for any players during the indefinite shutdown.

Meanwhile, lesser-paid domestic players argue that they are actually still working, unlike their counterparts in Europe's major leagues.

"One of the main reasons why many European players accept salary cuts is because they are on vacation," said Wuhan Zall defender Ai Zhibo on social media.

"Without training, they are basically resting at home. But most Chinese clubs are keeping their players together. We just had a short break when the epidemic was at its peak. We barely rested or had time to stay with family. It's difficult to accept reasons why we have to face a salary cut when we're still working."

The CFA's use of the term "guidelines" in its announcement indicates that salary cuts might not be compulsory, with any reductions dependent on negotiations between clubs and their players.

Famous soccer journalist and commentator Ma Dexing said he doubted that the CFA could implement a "standard" salary-cut plan, as per Thursday's announcement, and believes that cuts could vary from club to club.

CSL teams have remained tight-lipped on the matter, refusing to comment publicly on the proposals.

"Legally speaking, the CFA has no power to require clubs to make certain salary-cut plans," reported ycwb.com. "So the CFA wants each club to reach agreements with their players themselves."