BY ZULHILMI ZAINAL Follow on Twitter
When asked by the press about his opinion on Malaysian Football League's (MFL) plan to institute financial control on clubs, Selangor secretary-general Johan Kamal Hamidon instead responded by suggesting a stronger method; the introduction of a salary cap in Malaysian professional football.
"I'm not entirely familiar with how La Liga's financial control (which MFL plans to emulate) works, but I'm a big supporter of wage ceiling and expense control. I'm a strong proponent of this.
"If spending is not conducted carefully, it can lead to the collapse of any club. It has happened to renowned clubs in Europe and elsewhere in Asia. Malaysian football too needs to spend within their means, so that we may save for the future," said Johan when speaking to the press just before the Red Giants' 2019 jersey launch last Saturday.
He implored Malaysian footballers to be fair to the clubs, as overspending can send ripples through the industry.
"What we at the club want is fairness. We will be fair, and in return we want the players to be fair too.
"We need everyone to be on the same page. If only one player insists on being paid a lucrative amount, then the whole thing will collapse. There will be cases of teams that are unable to pay wages, a domino effect. We always look at the larger picture when signing players," he remarked.
The former grassroots football administrator also disclosed the wage structure utilised by the club beginning this season.
"We are paying our players according to the system we adopted from overseas. It's performance-based and tied up to match wins.
"The players' basic wages are smaller this season, but if they win, their bonuses will be bigger than their basic pay. In the following years, we will gradually introduce more complex pay structures," explained Johan.
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