KUALA LUMPUR – The story of financial struggles among footballers in the Malaysian league has become all too familiar. Year after year, players face hardships due to poor club management, leaving their livelihoods in jeopardy.
The M-League is infamous for its many cases of unpaid wages. Teams such as Melaka United, Sarawak United, and Kelantan have been reported to have been expelled from the league for failure to pay their players.
Most recently, Kedah FC’s star striker Sony Norde brought attention to the issue by publicly sharing his frustration over unpaid wages.
The Haitian winger revealed that he was forced to walk 6km to the Sultan Abdul Halim Stadium for training because he could not afford petrol for his car.
This raises an important question: how is it that someone like Sony, who has played in Malaysia for four years and earned a sizable salary, was not fully aware of Kedah FC’s ongoing financial troubles before joining the club?
It is not just about the clubs’ financial mismanagement – it also prompts us to question how footballers – despite earning high salaries – manage their finances and maintain their lifestyles in the face of such uncertainties.
Should they not be better prepared for a financial crisis, especially when the warning signs are evident in our league?
Speaking to Scoop, Kuala Lumpur City FC captain Paulo Josue shared how his disciplined financial management helped him navigate similar challenges that have recently plagued his club.
It was reported that KL City, under the Kuala Lumpur Football Association (KLFA), experienced financial troubles after Josue alleged that he hadn’t received his salary for seven months and was surviving on his savings.
According to Transfermarket, the 35-year-old Brazil-born attacking midfielder has a current market value of RM1.39 million and earns between RM105,000 and RM110,000 per month.
Josue, who joined the City Boys in 2017, has made 137 appearances and scored 53 goals for the club.
“It’s always important for football players like us to make good choices with the money we earn from football, and we need to anticipate tough times.
“It’s hard for footballers like us to earn good money as we need to work really hard, so we need to save it wisely to survive. My advice is that footballers should save as much as they can to avoid suffering due to their clubs’ financial situations.
“I’m not saying that I’m not struggling – I have a lot of bills to pay – but I have managed quite well because of my thrifty attitude.
“I’m not a rich guy, and of course, when I get money, I feel tempted to spend it. But as a human, it’s all about controlling unnecessary needs and focusing on our future with the money we earn.
“As footballers, we don’t know what will happen to us, so we need to be prepared. I always prefer to live simply, and that’s what has helped me overcome the challenges I’m facing with my club.
“Every footballer is different and thinks differently, but their lives will be better if they have good financial management,” said Josue when contacted.
KL City FC, known as the City Boys, took a financial hit after Rinani Group Bhd, one of its major stakeholders, reduced its sponsorship from 51% to 10% in 2022.
Last November, the club’s CEO, Stanley Bernard, and former KLFA president Khalid Abdul Samad took out separate loans totalling RM300,000 to cover players’ salaries, which had been overdue for months.
KL City FC currently rank 11th in the Super League standings, with eight points from 10 matches. – September 28, 2024
