Gary Neville Urges Players To Learn New Skills During Lockdown
Zeeshan Mehtab Published April 23, 2020 | 05:20 PM
London, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Apr, 2020 ) :Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville believes footballers should be trying to learn new skills during the game's coronavirus-enforced shutdown to prepare for a potential financial hit.
The economic crisis caused by the indefinite suspension of matches will be felt at all levels of the sport.
And Neville, who owns a stake in fourth-tier side Salford City, encouraged players to use their time wisely ahead of an expected downturn in wages and shortening in the length of contracts offered in the coming years.
"If I was a football player today, I'd be online learning, doing a degree, doing a BTEC (qualification) and trying to get a dual-skill. That's not panicking, that's not suggesting that their careers are over, it's just planning," Neville told Sky sports.
"The jobs in football will be less, the money will be less, and players will need to go and do a job next year or something next year out of football. That's a fact, it's going to happen.
"And they have to plan for that now. The smart ones will get their head around it quickly, and will go and do a different skill, look at the jobs they can do in the short-term to bring in money for their families.
" The top four divisions in England are still planning to complete their seasons when strict government restrictions are lifted.
However, Neville believes even the possibility of restarting soon with games behind closed doors is a remote one as clubs cannot put their players' health at risk.
"As a Salford City owner, I have players who potentially have diabetes, players with asthma," he said.
"Am I going to put them on a football field and risk their health and safety for a game of football? The answer is quite simply 'no'. I am not sure how Premier League clubs are going to get around it." Any return for football is dependent on regular testing for players but Neville is unconvinced, against the background of criticism of the British government over for a lack of testing for COVID-19.
"The testing thing is a nonsense," he said.
"There is no way the Premier League can sell to the public that they're going to have access to tens of thousands of tests when the frontline workers can't get them."
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Shayan, Rashid, Junaid to represent Pakistan in U12 Regional Qualifying Jrs
Govt committed to empower youth with modern tech, IT: PM
Olympic Games Paris 2024: How teams qualified
LESCO detects 74,285 power pilferers in 219 days
RTO destroys huge quantity of non-duty paid cigarettes
Rain-windstorm/thunderstorm expected in most parts of country: PMD
Pakistan's total liquid foreign reserves reach $ 13.28 billion
Pakistan to tour New Zealand for 3 ODIs, 5 T20Is next March
ENGRO announces strong results for 1st quarter 2024
RDA inflows rise to $7.660 bn in March 24
US economic growth slows significantly in first quarter
FPCCI welcomes direct flights between Pakistan-Azerbaijan
More Stories From Sports
-
Shayan, Rashid, Junaid to represent Pakistan in U12 Regional Qualifying Jrs
14 minutes ago -
Olympic Games Paris 2024: How teams qualified
21 minutes ago -
Pakistan to tour New Zealand for 3 ODIs, 5 T20Is next March
10 minutes ago -
1st-ever National Sports Revival conference starts next month
2 hours ago -
Usain Bolt named ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Ambassador
2 hours ago -
Wapda Inter-Unit Kabaddi Tournament to start from April 28
2 hours ago
-
Zone-VI Whites qualify for final in cricket tournament
3 hours ago -
Int’l tennis player Hamza receives cash award incentive for outstanding performance
4 hours ago -
Chief Minister KP to open Inter-Madrasa, Special Games on April 30
4 hours ago -
Bisma Maroof retires from all cricket
2 hours ago -
IOC Refugees Olympic Team to be announced on May 2
5 hours ago -
Bismah Maroof announces immediate retirement from international cricket
7 hours ago