Players look to Salahuddin as last hope for good deal
Footballers of the Bangladesh Premier League are now looking to re-elected Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) President Kazi Salahuddin to settle the issue of their payment for the next season as the newly elected BFF executive committee sits tomorrow following the October 3 polls.
In the last of a series of meetings with clubs and players on September 17, the professional football league committee headed by Abdus Salam Murshedy decided to reduce players' payments by a whopping 75 percent of their new contracts, which will be similar to last season, citing the clubs' financial constraints amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The meeting also decided to refer the payment matter to the BFF executive committee for the final decision. However, the players refused to accept the decision of the professional football league and sought the intervention of the BFF boss to deliver a win-win decision for both clubs and players, who had earlier demanded 50 percent of the new contract and clearance of all of last season's dues.
"Although the players' payment is not on the agenda at the first executive committee meeting after the polls, the issue may come up as we are thinking of opening the transfer window late this month," said BFF general secretary Abu Nayeem Shohag. "It is an introductory meeting of the executive committee, which may also form some important sub-committees such as the professional football league, national teams, development, finance, women's, etc."
The representatives of the players were supposed to meet four-time BFF President Salahuddin last Monday, just a day after the BFF polls, to discuss the matter as they have already expressed their dissatisfaction to the BFF boss.
"What the professional football league did is not [part of] a mutual understanding and we are really disappointed with their decision. The clubs were even supposed to clear 100 percent of last season's dues before signing the new contracts but they now want to clear only 40 percent of the dues. We even accepted that decision for sake of immediate return of football. To be honest, they possess both ball and ground and they will take the decision," said national team goalkeeper Ashraful Islam Rana.
"We are lastly looking at Salahuddin bhai to settle the payment issue. I talked to him yesterday [Thursday] and he assured that I need not be worried as he has been with us. We are really looking forward to getting something new from the new committee," said the Sheikh Russel KC goalkeeper.
The players also tried to submit a written application to Salahuddin before the elections but the BFF president promised to look into the matter and asked players to keep faith in him.
"The players did not accept the decision of 25 percent payment and are sticking to their demand to be paid 50 percent of the new contracts," former captain and current midfielder Mamunul Islam said. "Salahuddin bhai is our last hope and we will now seek an appointment with him within the next week to discuss the matter."
National defender Tapu Barman said, "We are always ready to sacrifice but we hope to get a respectable payment. You look at the foreign players… they are not suffering from it."
The majority of footballers played the last season for token payments.
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