Now is not the right time to talk about cutting football players’ salaries.
This is stated by Police coach Ishak Kunju on the raging issue of slashing M-League players’ pay due to the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ishak said in trying times like this, players’ welfare should be the priority as not all of them receive the same pay package. Even worse, some of them have yet to receive salaries owed by errant clubs over the years.
The former Terengganu defender said: “I do not agree with cutting players’ salaries because not all players receive the same amount, and different teams offer different packages.
“Let’s say a player earns RM3,500 per month and stays in a big city. Surely it will not be enough to support his family.
“And if that player's salary is slashed by 20 or 30 per cent, he will really struggle to make ends meet.
“It is a fact that this season the majority of the players did not get a good pay package compared to previous seasons.
“But for the sake of their livelihood, players signed up with the teams that approached them.
“The majority of the players have only one-year contracts, and their future next year is anybody’s guess.
“For me, it is not logical to compare local players with players from Barcelona or Juventus because their salaries run into millions and they are paid weekly, unlike the monthly salary in Malaysia.
“I believe FAM and the Malaysia Football League, as well as the various state and club managements, will not rush into cutting players’ salaries.
“I hope FAM and State FAs will come up with a solution to this issue,” said Ishak who also does not agree with cancelling the M-League season all together.