The issue of Premier League stars taking a wage cut amid the coronavirus crisis is coming to the boil with players and club executives at loggerheads and possible mutiny on the cards.
The Premier League recommended a 30 per cent wage reduction across the board on Friday but, in a united front of player power, club captains responded with a set of demands following an 'intense' video conference call on Saturday.
Now, with hundreds of millions of pounds at stake, the issue looks set to rumble on all week. Sportsmail tells you everything you need to know about the wage stand-off.
So every Premier League player is going to take a 30 per cent pay cut then?
Woah, hold your horses! That was just the recommended reduction in player salaries suggested by the Premier League and club executives on Friday and was merely a proposal to put before all the top-flight players.
The Premier League insisted the top limit for cuts was 30 per cent and would be over a maximum of 12 months. In reality, this would likely be much less as the situation would be reviewed every month.
And, in addition, club chief executives and chairmen would also agree to the same cuts.
But to say this has proved controversial is an understatement.
How so? Seems like a reasonable enough ask for these young multi-millionaires…
Their wealth is another debate but the players, while wanting to make a contribution in difficult times, were sceptical about the proposed wage deduction for quite a few reasons.
They want to make sure the money saved isn't simply going to line the pockets of club owners and is actually going to have some benefit.
A statement on behalf of Premier League club captains released by the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) on Saturday outlined their concerns.
One was that, according to the Union, the proposed £500million of wage cuts would cost the Government more than £200m in tax contributions.
And at a time when funding for the National Health Service is very much an issue at the forefront of the national consciousness, it was a salient point.
Why are the Government being dragged into all this?
Well, it followed comments by Matt Hancock, the health secretary, last week in which he said footballers should 'take a pay cut and play their part.'
The players weren't happy that Hancock appeared to be encouraging the perception that footballers all live gilded lifestyles and don't give anything back to society.
Plenty of players took a pop back, with Crystal Palace's Andros Townsend accusing Hancock of 'deflecting blame' onto footballers by painting them as 'villains' at a time when most NHS workers can't get tested for coronavirus.
Former England captain Wayne Rooney questioned why footballers were even in Hancock's head when he criticised them and added: 'Was he desperate to divert attention from his government's handling of this pandemic?'
Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville even invited Hancock onto a special edition of Monday Night Football to discuss his remarks.
That would be fascinating… but what are players actually doing to help?
Returning to the demands made via the PFA, players want guarantees that the money recouped goes to good causes - including the NHS.
They also favour deferring wages as opposed to an outright cut because that means the tax is paid at a later stage and can go to help fund public services as normal.
There was also a request that the Premier League increase the £20m donation it made to the NHS on Friday.
And individual clubs have also taken steps to help out the NHS in their time of need.
For example, as Sportsmail revealed last week, Manchester United players have agreed to forego 30 per cent of their wages for one month on the proviso that the money goes to benefit hospitals and health centres in Manchester. The total sum is around £3.5m.
Manchester City and other clubs have also made their stadium facilities available to frontline NHS workers during the pandemic.
What else did the players demand?
Plenty, the PFA statement ran to 1,100 words…
There was a demand for more money to be given to the clubs of the EFL and non-league after the Premier League agreed to a £125m advance.
This isn't actually new money but the solidarity payment to lower league clubs that would have been due in a few months anyway.
Another concern of the players is the future of non-playing staff at their clubs…
Is this that 'furlough' thing?
Yes. So far, five Premier League clubs have taken the decision to 'furlough' their non-playing staff.
Basically, they want to take advantage of a Government scheme that guarantees workers are paid 80 per cent of their wages up to £2,500 a month while unable to work as normal during the coronavirus pandemic.
Newcastle United were the first club to announce this, followed by Tottenham Hotspur, Bournemouth, Norwich City and Liverpool.
What's so controversial about that?
The point is these Premier League clubs rake in hundreds of millions of pounds and often have wealthy owners who can amply afford to keep all employees on full pay during the shutdown rather than relying on the taxpayer.
And it didn't look good in Tottenham's case when, on the same day they announced the furlough, it was disclosed chairman Daniel Levy received a £3m bonus this year.
Liverpool's decision to furlough staff - albeit by topping up their wages to the full amount - has also been heavily criticised.
Club legend Jamie Carragher tweeted: 'Jurgen Klopp showed compassion for all at the start of this pandemic, senior players heavily involved in the Premier League taking wage cuts. Then all that respect and goodwill is lost, poor this LFC.'
It came after Liverpool announced a pre-tax profit of £42m and increased turnover of £533m for the 2018-19 season.
Other clubs seem to be quite sensitive about furloughing staff after the criticism. Manchester City became the first club to announce they would not be following the example of Liverpool, Spurs and the others.
And Manchester United are unlikely to take any taxpayers' cash to support their 900 non-playing staff, who will be kept on full pay.
But surely all Premier League clubs are set to take an almighty financial hit because of coronavirus?
That was precisely the point made by Premier League executive Bill Bush at the beginning of the 45-minute conference video call involving captains and managers on Saturday.
He spelt out to those listening in that the Premier League clubs will lose £1.1billion if the season does not restart.
The proposed 30 per cent wage reduction would save £570m.
Ouch! And presumably some clubs will be hit harder than others?
Yes, each of the 20 clubs will take an enormous hit, especially if a curtailed or cancelled league season leads to broadcasters such as Sky Sports and BT Sport demanding a rebate on the £762m already paid for rights for games yet to be shown.
League leaders Liverpool would see a drop in their TV income of around £55m from £178m as things stand to £123m.
Burnley say they stand to lose £50m if they can't complete their remaining games. That includes £5m from lost revenue from home fixtures but also a whopping £45m in lost broadcasting money.
Everyone is going to be hit hard in the pocket whether the season finishes or not. The likes of Liverpool can probably absorb the blow but it'd be disastrous for Burnley or Bournemouth.
So the clubs really could do with the players falling in line then?
Ideally, but let's say the players have deftly controlled the football fired their way by the Premier League, flicked it in the air, juggled it a bit and volleyed it very much back in the direction it came.
The unprecedented video conference call on Saturday featured all 20 club captains but, in what were described as 'intense' talks for 45 minutes, only Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne, Watford's Troy Deeney and West Ham's Mark Noble were permitted to speak to present the players' arguments.
The meeting broke up without agreement and many of the captains were left doubting the motives of their clubs, wondering if they intend to exploit the current crisis as an excuse not to fulfil financial obligations to playing and non-playing staff.
The skippers resolved to maintain their united front on the matter until they get definitive answers to their various concerns and demands from the Premier League and the clubs.
A WhatsApp group has been established between the 20 captains to continue discussing the issues.
What will happen next?
That remains unclear since there are no plans at the moment for further meetings such as the one on Saturday.
Through their collective efforts, the players have made very clear their willingness to make sacrifices in terms of wage cuts but while showing the conscience to seek assurances the money will be going to the right places.
Your move, Premier League.