Treat us as team assets, not merchandise: Safee Sali

KUALA LUMPUR – Local football teams are reminded to value the services of players and not to take advantage of them, said Professional Footballers Association of Malaysia (PFAM) president Mohd Safee Sali.

The Kuala Lumpur City FC striker said welfare issues such as salary arrears, manipulation of contracts, players not covered by insurance, injured footballers not getting proper attention and salary cuts due to injury were among the issues that always haunted professional footballers in Malaysia.

Mohd Safee said PFAM received various complaints from players on issues related to their welfare and rights which they feared could hamper efforts to develop football in the country.

“The issues which I have mentioned should never have happened in the professional era. It also does not happen in developed countries.

“Value us as team assets, not as the merchandise that can be thrown away at will. 

“As a player, believe me, that if the club really appreciates us, we will be more determined to play for the club because we want to justify the faith in us,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Citing an example, Mohd Safee said the public could evaluate his former team Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) and Terengganu FC where players always worked hard and gave everything on the field because of the very high culture of professionalism instilled by the team management.

He said as a former player under the leadership of Tunku Mahkota of Johor (TMJ) Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim when he represented JDT previously, he found that TMJ placed a high premium on the welfare of players and helped retired footballers.

“While TMJ is the owner of the club, he is also quite vocal in championing the welfare of his players and this should be an example for other club owners to follow," he said.

In this regard, Mohd Safee stated that PFAM always welcomed cooperation from teams especially club owners to hold discussions and share matters on player welfare management. – Bernama, November 6, 2021