Football finance expert Kieran Maguire has been speaking on the latest edition of The Price of Football podcast about Sheffield Wednesday players not receiving their wages from the club and other news from the world of football.
The Owls players have had payments for their wages delayed, which is not the first time this has happened this season either, with the same thing happening in 2020.
You would think that this can’t be helping the Wednesday players as they prepare to face Derby County in a must-win match that could keep them in the Championship.
Maguire revealed his thoughts on the situation that Wednesday’s players find themselves in.
He said: (23:08) “I think the players have been partly paid, if the stories historically are correct, what the club does is it pays them the first £7000 per week.
(23:34) “Based on my calculations, the average pay for a Sheffield Wednesday player is £17,000 a week. So there are substantial amounts not going into people’s bank accounts.
“They do have obligations, and also, the club signed these contracts. So to turn around and say, ‘well, we’re not going to pay you at all’. [Is not] great.
(24:50) “It cannot have a positive impact upon the mental state and the preparation of the players because they’ve got other commitments, they’ve got family who will be going ‘this isn’t acceptable’.
“I do not think this is good preparation for Sheffield Wednesday in their attempts to avoid relegation.”
Are you annoyed at the club for this?
Yes, they have an obligation to pay the players
No, they don't deserve their full wages for this season
TIF Thoughts on the situation at Wednesday…
If what Maguire says is true, the players have been paid a bit of the money they are owed, but there are still huge chunks missing, and that cannot help the players.
This is a huge game for the Owls at the weekend, and if the players have to worry about their financial situation, then maybe their minds won’t be 100% on the match?
It remains to be seen what happens, but we think it is disgraceful that the club have not paid their players.
In other news: ‘Seeped into the psyche’ – Sky Sports man drops ‘concerning’ claim on Sheffield Wednesday