£ 600.000 ... a week :( How obscene is that :(

If any of us had the talent or skill to be paid those wages we would take it, although I hope we would use it wisely and not squander it

Dancers, particularly those in the ballet world, train all of their childhood, (paid for by their parents) exercise rigid control over their diet, accept interference in how they live their lives , are dedicated, train to a physical level most footballers could not achieve, suffer 'inconvenient hours' and working conditions, and do not spit, swear (at least in public) or have drunken, sordid liaisons with their fans . Their dance careers are very short, and they do not receive obscene amounts of money whilst working to cushion them when they retire; they retrain for a new job.

£600, 000 a week ??? Indefensible for anyone.

Johnson will be envious as there are reports that he is finding it hard to manage on £150k a year plus the odd few grand here and there.

do you know any politicians who earn 30+ million a year?

Many young footballers ahve their lives blighted by those huge sums of money- they have never had a proper job, and do not know how to cope in the real world. Sad.

Thanks for your contributions- as often- opinions vary hugely. Personally, I have always found it very surprising that many friends who are way more left wing than me- found those sort of wages, and the lifestyle that goes with it (huge fast cars, mansions, and yes - tax evading yachts and planes, mansions, registered abroad to avoid tax, etc) to be acceptable if it is from footballers, but not from businessmen, financiers or indeed politicians.

Footballers pay their taxes and as already said they have a short shelf life. I begrudge politicians- many have not had a "proper" job and do not know how we cope in the real world.

ticking as long as any highly paid people are not involved in tax dodging schemes, that's my bottom line. Eg Hamilton ( whilst draping himself in the Union Jack)

Just think of the amount of tax he pays on that wage. It’s not as if he will receive that sum in his bank account each week.

So sorry to hear of your real worries Badgranma - this is hard to read, and I hope you get the support you need.

Grandad- the Union Man. Wonder how Corbyn and McC would comment on this one.

The best things in life are free, as I keep telling myself whilst trying to work out if this winter I’ll heat or eat.

Pantglas2

I agree with those sentiments Grandad1943 (except it should be Real Madrid, of course).

Unfortunately nobody will pay silly money to watch a nurse, a firefighter or policeman doing their job, no matter how good/worthy they are.

Most sport is based on dedication, talent and perseverance but F1 is the thing I find incomprehensible - the burning fuel going round in (large) circles for hours on end!

As with all sport, it is what the public wish to see and support that is paramount in what salaries are paid.

With formula one, it is obvious that a large body of people worldwide are prepared to pay to see the sport even though it is environmentally poor, and that's the way it is.

We can all, especially in these times, feel that nurses, refuge collectors and those working in food distribution centres etc are very much underpaid. However, the British electorate voted in December to have as it's government a hardline capitalist party and so those social injustices will, without doubt, continue into the foreseeable future.

I agree with those sentiments Grandad1943 (except it should be Real Madrid, of course).

Unfortunately nobody will pay silly money to watch a nurse, a firefighter or policeman doing their job, no matter how good/worthy they are.

Most sport is based on dedication, talent and perseverance but F1 is the thing I find incomprehensible - the burning fuel going round in (large) circles for hours on end!

Gareth Bale retains strong links to his home town in South Wales, he earns the going rate for the job and pays his taxes. I’m sure he takes advantage of whatever tax rules are available but there is no indication that he lives in Monaco or other tax shelters, Lewis Hamilton is one who does.

The money successful sportsmen get does not just disappear it pays the wages of many others down the line, from the bankers and lawyers at the top to the waiters at the restaurants they use.

In a world with inherited wealth and privilege being seen as perfect,y acceptable ( Duke of Westminster anyone) I’m with anyone who actually makes it without being a friend of Johnson.

I’m with the footballers on this one. They are young working class boys, have a short shelf life. Ex failed politicians can make £100k giving an after dinner speech or knocking out a newspaper column and that’s ok? Criticise everyone earning huge salaries - don’t just pick on one group.

biba70

do you know any TV presenters who earn over 30 million a year?

Oprah Winfrey earns $223,000,000 a year. That's £172.650,000. or well over three million pounds a week.

Apparently, Barcelona are to continue to pay half of Gareth Bales salary. That being the case then having him back at Tottenham could be a very good investment for the club especially if he can get them into the Champions League for next season. With no upfront transfer fee, the return on the investment may well be enormous.

As with any business you pay salary levels based on the value that any person puts into the enterprise. That is identical in any industry or company worldwide.

If you accept our capitalist system way of living then you have accept the above, for the only alternative is Marxism.

How anyone van use the word obscene about a few footballers is beyond me.

Top footballers spend many hours a day training, control what they eat and accept interference in how they live their lives to a far greater degree than most of us would find acceptable.

I say that not to defend this man's salary, which I think is obscene, but to point out that being a top athlete in any sport requires a lot of time dedication and inconvenience and working many more hours than the seven suggested further up the thread.

do you know any TV presenters who earn over 30 million a year?

Footballers develop their talent , many tv presenters lack talent

agreed. But hearing his salary on TV news really made me jump.

About isolating- will he and the Club get away with it? What will their excuse be?

I worry far far more about what our current Government and its leader are teaching our youngsters. ? if tomorrow all football disappeared, what difference would it make? But if we as a society demanded truth, transparency, competency , compassion for those in need , fairness, justice from our Government and got it, that would transform our lives.

Good point suzie- thanks.

But honestly over 30 million a year is quite shocking- but i do take your point.

My major issue, is what it teaches our youngsters.

Footballers, politicians, actors, tv presenters......lots of them are paid huge amounts....whether they earn it is another matter.

If anybody wants a serious discussion about the way we choose to reward people in our society and how we place value on the contribution they make, I’m up for it. What I’m not up for is scapegoating one very very tiny minority group as though they are the real problem we face.