KUALA TERENGGANU: The hopes of Terengganu City FC’s (TCFC) former players to get their salary arrears has been dealt a severe blow when the FA of Malaysia (FAM) stood firm on their decision to ‘bar’ The Sharks team from competing in the Premier League for the coming new season.
The latest development which adds to the woes of Terengganu City’s former players was announced by FAM via a media statement last night (Wednesday) which leaves not just the players but coaching staff in a quandary as they have to continue to hope and wait even longer to get paid what is due to them.
Before this, Terengganu City’s new management had stated that they would settle the salary arrears issue for the players and coaching staff which amounts to RM1 million provided FAM allow The Sharks squad to feature in the Premier League for the coming new season.
"We just want our salary arrears and bonus for winning the FAM Cup last season, but now the uncertainty surrounding this issue has just gotten worse and even more complicated following FAM’s stance in not allowing Terengganu City to feature in the Premier League for the new season.
"We are like a ball, being kicked around here and there apart from being victims of circumstances really, and now it’s really bleak for us because our quest to claim our salary arrears continues to drag on.
"The question now is how long more do we need to wait to get what is rightfully ours, as before this we heard that the team’s former sponsors wanted to pay our salary arrears, which brought us somewhat of a temporary relief, but now with no clear end in sight, things just seem to be getting worse for us,” said former Terengganu City player Shafuan Adli Shaari who is hoping that the team’s new management will still pay their salary arrears despite FAM’s decision to stick by their decision.
Speaking further, Shafuan is pleading with FAM to get in touch with the team’s previous and new management, as well as the former players and coaching staff, to discuss on finding the best possible solution to alleviate their woes.
"We would like to meet with FAM as well as the team’s previous and new management. Before this, the previous owner of the club had promised to settle the salary arrears within two weeks in front of the state's youth development, sports and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) committee chairman, Wan Sukairi Wan Abdullah, though sadly they were left disappointed.
"Now it has already been more than a month and that promise was clearly an empty promise, so we are really hoping that FAM are more open and understanding especially on this issue that we are facing, as we played our hearts out and made sacrifices to become FAM Cup champions, so FAM have to think about us,” said Shafuan.