Michael Keane says Everton players were happy to agree to wage deferrals due to Covid-19

Everton defender Michael Keane has revealed their decision to take a wage deferral was made unanimously after a club appeal via captain Seamus Coleman.

Carlo Ancelotti’s squad voluntarily agreed in early June to defer up to 50 per cent of their salary for three months with the situation beyond that still to be decided.

Keane stresses everyone was happy to assist given the commercial implications of Covid-19 and hasn’t affected their commitment in games since football returned.

‘As captain, Seamus has been dealing with the club the whole time during lockdown,’ explained Keane. ‘The club probably realised they needed a bit of help financially. Seamus put it to us in a Zoom call and all the lads were happy to help.

‘It was voluntary for all the lads. It was a deferral for an initial three-month period and then we’ll see what the club want to do after that.

‘But it hasn’t, and never will never affect the way the lads prepare and the way we play games.

‘I think everyone is very professional and there is no chance anyone would let anything like that affect the way they train or play.’

Everton face Wolves on Sunday having won two of their five post-lockdown games though they collected only one point against Spurs and Southampton last week.

Blues fans have also had to cast envious eyes across the city as Liverpool celebrated their first championship for 30 years.

Keane says seeing how Jurgen Klopp has transformed Liverpool gives hope that Ancelotti can do something similar at Goodison.

‘Four or five years ago they were in our position,’ said Keane. ‘They got there with a bit of stability, good signings and a change of mentality.

‘It’s something we will be looking to do and hopefully we can give Everton fans something to brag about in the next couple of years.

‘As a club we want to compete at the top end of the league. We know it will take a bit of time and won’t happen overnight but we’ve seen from Liverpool it can be done.

‘You look at his (Ancelotti’s) trophy cabinet and his experience we couldn’t ask for a better manager.

Keane is in excellent form and showing why he’s won 10 England caps in the centre of defence.

He is also involved with Everton’s Community programme and as part of their ‘Blue Family’ campaign has spoken to many supporters affected by the severity of Covid-19.

The articulate 27-year-old says he could understand players’ frustration about being told to do more by Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

‘It was a bit unfair,’ said Keane, who himself fell ill through with coronavirus and took a week for his chest to clear.

‘We earn good money but we also know we have a responsibility to help others. We didn’t need a politician to tell us.

‘Footballers in general would prefer to stay away from politics. But if we are being called out by politicians and we think it’s unfair then we will stick up for ourselves.’

On his own mild brush with Covid, he added: ‘It didn’t affect me too badly, it was more scary that I was playing golf the day before I fell ill with a few of my mates so I was worried I’d passed it on to them. Luckily I managed not to do that.

‘I felt ill for a couple of days and then my chest felt off for a week or so but I didn’t feel horrendous myself. I feel like I got away with it lightly really but I understand it is obviously a scary time for everyone and everyone has to carry on being careful even though lockdown is getting eased a bit.’