Jamie Carragher surprised everyone when, on live broadcast, he joked about a matter that, outside the CBS television studios, is undoubtedly serious. The former Liverpool defender has been summoned by HMRC (the English tax authority) for a tax dispute: he has a tax debt of around 800 thousand pounds (almost 1 million euros). And because he has not paid his taxes, he is also at risk of bankruptcy. “Well… haven’t we all had them?” was the ironic phrase that escaped him after being included in the conversation by presenter Kate Abdo, with reference to the “empty bank account” of the former footballer and now analyst of the American channel that comments on the nights of the Champions League. The light-hearted tone with which a very delicate issue was treated surprised everyone, so much so that Carragher himself hastened to clarify that in fact “everything has been done, everything has been resolved”. Good for him... that he certainly didn't pull his foot back (like he did on the field), but the surprise about that exit remains.
Carragher's debt comes out on TV broadcast
The issue related to Carragher's financial situation came to light during the CBS Sports show dedicated to the new Champions League season, on the occasion of the first week's matches. The topic was introduced by the journalist, who chose a humorous tone to introduce the guest: "A hot and intense summer can be tough. Not for this man, Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher. A man whose bank account is smaller than his career statistics."
This way of presentation, intended as an original joke, gave rise to others, causing the reaction of the former Reds player and leaving Thierry Henry, another permanent member of the show, surprised by such a statement. In an instant, a very private matter became public. And Carragher did not retreat: he threw a smile and joined the game. As a former center-back, he knows how to handle such blows.
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Former defender jokes about fiscal issue
The most significant moment, which added to the embarrassment of the seeming superficial approach to an important issue, was when Carragher talked about his debts by making a joke: “Financial problems? Well… haven’t we all had them?” A clever intervention: he didn’t avoid the topic, but faced it directly and softened it (or, at least, tried to do so) through self-irony, after his name had been linked to a possible bankruptcy for several days.
Why the former footballer ended up in trouble with the risk of bankruptcy
According to a reconstruction made by the media referring to court documents, HMRC had filed an application to declare Carragher insolvent, due to a tax debt estimated at around 800 thousand pounds (just under 1 million euros). The news was made public at the end of August and at that time the former footballer had commented on the personal situation as “a private tax matter that should have been resolved earlier”, explaining that he had already taken steps to repay the debt through payment plans agreed with the Agency and that the procedure should not continue.
