Players’ unpaid salaries embarrassment to nation
KUALA LUMPUR: The phenomena of football players not being paid their salaries and financial problems faced by football associations surface each year to embarrass the sports arena especially football at the international level.
It is clearly a scenario which is not only hated by all players, coaches, supporters, outside players and, in fact, the competing teams, because it gives a bad image of the league and stunting its progress when the competition has already started.
Very sad when the narrative above reflects the eco-system of the national number one league, Malaysian League (M-League) which, despite its professional status since more than 20 years ago, the fans still are served with the financial problems of the contesting teams
Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), deputy president Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mahadi said every team must adopt the culture of cutting its coat according to its own cloth in financial affairs especially involving the businesses of the purchase of players and fixing their salaries.
‘’The financial factor is the main criteria for the teams competing in the M-League. When the management is wise in handling its finances, such matters (financial issues and salary arrears) will not arise and more importantly the future of the players and officials are looked after,’’ he told Bernama.
Former national player, Akmal Rizal Ahmad Rakhli suggests that the teams shift their foci towards the back-up players to reduce the burden of salary payments.
Other than offering lower salaries and the advantage of performances inherent in the current young players, Akmal Rizal, 37, said the move will also give an opportunity to the teams to generate income during the transfer window if the players can attract the attention of other teams.
‘’Indeed, being financially strong is required to form a strong team, otherwise don’t spend beyond your means. If one feels one can’t afford to buy star players and pay high salaries, use the services of young players who have the potential to shine.
‘’The move may affect the performance of the team in the first two to three years. The result can be seen when the players become more mature and the team can also generate additional income through the sale of players,’’ said the player who helped Kelantan win the Malaysia Cup in 2010.
A national football legend in the 1980s, Datuk Hassan Sani said the Malaysian Football League (MFL) as the M-League management body must act firmly to prevent the incident from taking place every year.
“Acting firmly and dishing out punishment are correct actions because they can become useful lessons to all not to repeat the same mistakes, but in being firms, it is not wrong to compromise.
‘’MFL has done the best for all teams including giving time to settle the problems. But, the teams must appreciate the effort and not take advantage,’’ said Hassan who helped Malaysia emerge as Pestabola Merdeka champions in 1979 and 1986.
The M-League competitions in the past several years often saw some contesting teams experiencing problems related to funds and had to struggle to prepare the best teams to face the league competition.
The issues embarrass the nation because almost all the competing teams use the services of import players, and the Malaysian’s football reputation would take a beating other than import players opting not to come to this country, if the issue continues to occur.
Despite various actions and advice given, there are still teams facing the problems and this is proven when recently when MFL revealed and directed seven teams problematic in terms of salary arrears to submit their financial status.
In this regard, Mohd Yusoff, who also a member of the board of directors of MFL, hopes the financial issues faced by the teams can be overcome totally when the economic control regulations, as developed by La Liga, begins to be implemented in the M-League competition next season.
‘’Some teams draw up their budget based on oral agreements with the sponsors...no black and white. When the sponsors reneged, they (the teams) are left in the lurch. So, with this economic control regulation, MFL will evaluate in detail all financial documents before deciding on the spending limit of a team.
‘’We don’t want this matter to repeat itself every season because it will damage the league and maybe affect the atractiveness and draw of the M-League and indirectly results in import players losing confidence in local teams,’’ he said.
In the meantime, Akmal Rizal said if the M-League continues to be rife with teams facing financial problem it will tarnish the image of FAM and MFL which now endeavour to bring back the glory of the national football arena.
‘’The M-League is renowned in South East Asia because of the capability of some teams to pay high salaries to the players but at the same time there are two to three teams which are forced to be dropped from the league due to financial problems. It clearly tarnishes the image of national football,’’ he said. - Bernama