Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Examination time

Phnom Penh Crown's first-team squad, currently being re-shaped after their recent upheaval, have a practice match against the Asia Euro University team tomorrow (Wednesday) at their RSN Stadium HQ in Tuol Kork at 3pm. Crown have met the University side a couple of times earlier this year in friendly matches. In June, a Crown B-team beat them 5-2 and back in March, five goals from Kingsley Njoku helped Crown to a 10-1 success. The students came third in the Division 1A play-offs and were pipped for a place in this season's Metfone C-League by Western University and Boeung Ket. However, they will compete in the forthcoming Hun Sen Cup qualifying rounds, with their group matches to be played in Siem Reap.

I've just heard a whisper that one of the world's greatest footballers, a former FIFA World Player of the Year and a World Cup-winning captain, will be coming to Phnom Penh early next month for some special appearances and to shed a bit more light on Cambodian football and sport. My lips are sealed as to any more information at this point.

I was asked by a local journalist for details of the salaries paid by Phnom Penh Crown to their players, as they were writing an article about it. I was tempted to tell him to mind his own bloody business, but just stopped myself and instead said that the player's salaries are a private matter between the club and the player concerned. There is an expectation it seems in Cambodia that everyone should know the salary of everyone else, especially if they are in the public spotlight, like sportsmen. I come from a very different background where such personal information is a completely private matter. And that will be how it will remains for Phnom Penh Crown. Our players receive a monthly salary which is part of a private contract agreed between the club and the player concerned. It is no-one else's business. Read my lips.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

hey Andy,

Who is a former FIFA World Player of the Year and a World Cup-winning captain ? Zidane ?

Nimol

Andy Brouwer said...

Not ZZ. However, I can't say yet as its not been 100% confirmed.

Andy Brouwer said...

Sabay.com wrote an article on player's salaries at Cambodian clubs today. Most of the club's were stupid enough to state their salary ranges. PPCFC will NOT reveal what it pays its players, as this is an entirely private matter between the club and the player concerned and is part of his employment contract. We do things properly at PPCFC and this includes maintaining the privacy of the contracts we agree with players and staff.
Andy

Anonymous said...

Andy, I understood it is private matter between players and PPCFC..
You are englishman, you know about EPL or some other big league in the world. Why they can show the player's salary ?

What is different in this issue ? between Cambodia and EPL or other league ?

Nimol

Andy Brouwer said...

I don't honestly believe that individual players wages in the Barclays League are widely known. I think some have been mentioned in the press, either by a players agent or the media have guessed, but generally speaking a players salary remains a private matter.

As part of their annual accounts, clubs have to say how much they spent on players wages, and I think if someone is paid over a ceiling of say 2million pounds for example, then they might have to declare who that is. That is a common thing for company accounts.
Nevertheless, salaries for footballers are the same as the salary for any individual. There is no law that says everyone must know everyone else's salary!
Andy