Former Hibs player Kevin Harper has expressed his pride over the way his old club have handled the shutdown of football in Scotland so far.
The Hibees have seemingly taken a measured approach to cost-cutting as a result of there being no chance of matchday revenues for the next few months due to Covid-19.
Instead of slashing wages by 50% like rivals Hearts, players at Easter Road are reportedly set to take wage deferrals following talks this week.
Harper is pleased with Hibs’ handling of the football shutdown (Mandatory Credit: Allsport UK/ALLSPORT)
Ann Budge originally made it a request of the Tynecastle employees, but last week that turned to an order.
It’s a move that some have criticised, with ex-Jambo Michael Stewart particularly vociferous in his assessment of the situation last week.
In the eyes of Harper, who spent six years at Easter Road and is now the manager of Albion Rovers, Hibs are taking a much better approach.
Hibs players are suppsoedly set for wage deferrals (Photo by Ewan Bootman/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
He said (Daily Record): “It’s difficult to ask people to take drops in wages because not everybody can afford it. That’s the hard facts of life.
“At least Hibs are not coming out and saying ‘you must take a 50 percent pay cut’.
“For Hearts to do that after the game was suspended was shocking.
“You have got to broach the subject with their players and staff. They are human beings. You can’t just go in with the big stick and say ‘this is what’s happening’.
Hearts have implemented 50% wage cuts (Photo by Ewan Bootman/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
With proper respect from all for government guidance, and a bit of luck, hopefully the 2019/20 season will be able to resume later on this year.
But before that of course, the most important thing from a football perspective is for clubs to actually survive this unprecedented situation.