Salaries were slashed to improve players’ commitment

The management of Sunshine Stars FC of Akure has slashed the salaries of its players as part of the ongoing restructuring in the club.

The Executive Director, Ondo State Football Agency, Mike Idoko, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja.

He said that the pay-cut from N650, 000 per month per player to a minimum of N150, 000 per month per player was to make the players more committed to their duty.

Mr. Idoko said the measure was taken by the management to help the club achieve its target of securing a continental slot in the forthcoming season.

“Naturally people don’t like change but we just have to make them understand. For example, last season when our players were collecting fantastic salaries, they didn’t put in their best and that made us to fight relegation battle; some of them were committed, while some were not,” he said.

He, however, noted that despite the slash, the players’ bonuses were increased.

“So, a player might collect N300, 000 as salary in a month with an additional N100, 000 as match bonus weekly for a win at home and N200, 000 weekly for an away win. This means that the players make more money in a month when they win matches rather than the initial N15,000 match bonus for every win,” he explained.

Mr. Idoko, who is also a member of the League Management Company, LMC, said the development would make the players work hard to earn their pay.

“So, it must make you (player) work hard to earn that money unlike when the players select the matches they play because of N15, 000 bonus,” he added.

Mr. Idoko said the first match of the season against Enyimba FC of Aba would test the response of the players to the decision to slash their salaries. It will also show their commitment to the new season, the sports administrator said.
(NAN)