Liverpool's position became indefensible before they reversed their decision but that is of little comfort to clubs in the Premier League's lower reaches, who now know that they furlough staff at their peril.
Anfield has contributed substantially to that concept being a toxic term.
'It's not helpful for us,' said one club executive, also observing that Manchester City's announcement that it would not furlough non-playing staff was easy for a club bankrolled by a sheik with an estimated net worth of £24billion. The financial reality is different for those not making the same £42million-a-year profit as Liverpool.