Football wages have always been a subject of argument. Why do they get paid millions for kicking a ball, whereas a heart surgeon only gets a fraction of that when he or she saves a life? Where is the justification?
The situation is the same in Malaysia. Our players may not earn in millions, but they do enjoy a generous paycheque from their respective clubs. And according to former Malaysian footballer Santokh Singh, they do not live up to their soaring price tags.
“Most of our footballers are overpaid, and they do not reflect the quality of their price tags. If a player is receiving such a high salary, he should excel on the pitch and show his quality. But that doesn’t happen.”
“I think the transfer and wages for local players should revolve around RM 10,000 to RM 15,000, and also taking into account their performance in the club.”
Although Santokh understands that football is a business and clubs can spend whatever they wish on a player, he doesn’t see the point in spending so much money on a player that doesn’t deliver.
“For me, the only person who is worth a million-dollar price tag in Malaysia is Mokhtar Dahari. No one has lived up to his level so far.”
[Source]
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