talkSPORT pundits Jamie O'Hara and Jason Cundy were involved in a heated debate following Howard Webb's recent remarks regarding how much Premier League officials were paid.
[The Mail](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-14535267/Premier-League-referees-six-figure-annual-salary.html) claims Webb told EFL clubs that Premier League match officials earned £240,000-a-year, which is double that of their EFL counterparts. The report claims that Webb, who is the head of PGMOL, has appealed for more funding with the referee's governing body set to lose £23.1million over the next five years.
It claims officials have blamed inflation and an enhanced support system with an additional £10million now spent on a training programme which looks at a number of areas, including VAR.
The report claims Webb told EFL clubs during the presentation that Select Group Referees, which consists if 21 officials, are expected to earn an average salary of £240,000 this season. However, since then, officials have clarified the situation, stating that the figure is actually the total cost to PGMOL including National Insurance, match fees and performance bonuses, with a salary of £180,000 more commonplace.
The PGMOL's operating costs have reportedly risen from £16m to an estimated £33.7m in an eight year period, with an income of £31.2m. It's forecasting a £2.5m deficit this year, which could potentially lead to losses of £23.1m over the next five years without further investment.
PGMOL currently receives funding from the Premier League, FA, EFL, and Women’s Professional League.
[During their show on talkSPORT](https://talksport.com/football/3054366/howard-webb-referees-wages-jamie-ohara-jason-cundy/), former Spurs midfielder O'Hara lashed out at the wages currently paid to top flight officials, while Cundy felt they weren't paid enough.
### Jamie O'Hara and Jason Cundy talkSPORT transcript
**Jamie O'Hara**: "That's garbage. What a load of garbage that is."
**Jason Cundy**: "What do you mean?"
**JO'H**: "Paying refs more money, you’re going to get better refs… that’s a load of rubbish."
**JC**: "I’m guessing the money will be invested into coaching, training that sort of thing, that's what I'm guessing. They're not just going to trouser it."
**JO'H**: "It says they’re raking it in. £240,000 a year."
**JC**: "That’s not a lot by the way. That’s nothing. I think they’re underpaid."
**JO'H**: "Are you winding me up? They run around with a whistle."
**JC**: "They’re making big decisions."
**JO'H**: "I think it’s too much."
**JC**: "What should they get?"
**JO'H**: "£150,000 a year, 120? What’s that, £10,000 a month. They’re a referee! What’s going on here? We’re paying referees 250 grand a year!? To let VAR do it and still get it wrong. 240 grand a year to be a referee is a lot of dough, by the way; you can’t sit here and say that’s not a lot of money. It’s 20 grand a month to be a bang-average ref; do me a favour. Of course, I would; there are a lot of things I’d do for £240k a year."
**JC**: "I don't think that's a lot of money, for the biggest and most..."
**JO'H**: "Do you know how hard it is for the normal person to go out and earn 240 grand a year?"
**JC**: "I’m not saying it isn't. It's the biggest, richest league in the world..."
**JO'H**: "You’ve got a ref who can’t get a decision right earning a quarter of a million pounds a year, and Howard Webb has got the cheek to come out and say they want more money!"
**JC**: "Train them, get better refs."
**JO'H**: "I am sick to death of PGMOL. It is a joke, it's a disgrace. 240 grand a year they can't even get throw ins right. Do you know how hard it is for the normal person to go and earn £240,000 a year?"