Football has it's part to play in fighting global wealth inequality

In light of a story that has appeared in the news today about wealth, I'm looking at leadership on the issue of pay.

Oxfam report that the richest 1% now has as much wealth as the other 99% combined. This is a moral issue that affects every business, and I believe that it is a leadership issue. Every business has the moral obligation to look after the people that work for them. It's not just pay (which a lot of companies need to go much further on) but working conditions, time off, work-life balance and benefits.

At this moment in time, the UK economy is hugely skewed towards business - particularly big business. Media stories regularly show big business not paying their fair share of tax. The minimum wage has served it's purpose and needs to be replaced by the living wage. The taxpayer is subsidising people with a family to work for these companies through working tax credit.

It's time to take a lead.

Football has a part to play in all of this. It's more than just a cliche that millionaire footballers make money off the back of hardworking fans that scrimp and save to be able to attend matches. Just this part week, Sunderland fans have had to travel over 1,500 miles to see their team play away to Arsenal, Swansea and Spurs. From the top of the game, football needs to sort out ticket prices, away travel, fixture planning, value for money, the cost of kits (especially for children) and the price of good and drink at the ground.

Players need to take a long hard look at their role in this. Granted they have a short career and need to look after themselves and their family for the rest of their lives but players' salaries are obscene.

A salary cap is the really obvious answer but it needs to be global to avoid players just moving country. Financial Fair Play is designed to help counter this but it hasn't worked. It's time for FIFA to change president, take a moral stand and actually change the game for the better - and not just for the few.

It is really difficult as someone who loves football to try to explain to my children why a Premier League player gets tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of pounds every week for playing the game they love. I hope that the game doesn't further turn it's back on the loyal fans in search of the television money. It won't keep on rising forever.