In an interview with Rome based newspaper Corriere dello Sport, former Inter director Ernesto Paolillo has shared his views on what sort of impact Coronavirus will have on football for the coming years.
“At least for a couple of years there will be greater attention not only to costs but also to the organisation of teams and staff, the number of employees and so on. Changes to sponsor revenues and television rights will be inevitable. The spending power of clubs will also be reduced,” he began the interview which appeared in today’s print edition of the newspaper.
He then went on to provide an estimate for how much values of transfers will drop by and for how long this will be the case: “I think by 20-30%, at least for the first two years and then we will see what will happen.”
Paolillo proceeded to discuss the issue of players potentially having their wages cut or at the very least suspended due to the financial impact that Coronavirus has caused.
“From an ethical and moral point of view, an agreement must be reached. High-level players remain privileged, with salaries not even comparable to those of the great majority of workers. The fact some do not understand that they have to make a contribution is quite absurd.
“The players have to give up something to help their clubs out and part of their contribution must go toward the less privileged leagues. Those who do not risk running out of money should think about those who currently do not have any money to take home.
“There is no central body that can find a framework solution and drop it from above. If we wait for clubs to show initiative it will highlight who is more sensitive to the issue and who is less so.”
He then went on to insist that there needs to be an agreement reached that is fair for everyone.
“I know and appreciate the president of the Italian players association, Damiano Tommasi. I am surprised at this idea of proceeding in no particular order. We need a fair agreement for all, which includes, and I repeat, solidarity with the lower leagues.”
In conclusion, Paolillo, who has not taken up a position in football since leaving Inter in 2012, was asked if the current Financial Fair Play system will have to be reviewed and modified given the current circumstances.
“Yes. First of all, virus or not, those rules were born with the aim of consolidating the balance sheets and lowering debt but they did not provide incentives for new investors. There is a need for everyone to lower their expenses, the main item of which is the amount of wages.”