After the last S-League season ended in pole-dancing farce, the last thing the embattled S.League needed was more bad publicity.

It was reported in the mainstream media over the past week that two of Balestier Khalsa's best players last season - Singapore PR Paul Cunningham and Korean Park Kang Jin (below, in red) were treated unfairly.

Source

Both players have said they do not see themselves ever coming back to the S-League. Park is so disillusioned that he is planning to quit football altogether. Paul Cunningham is off to play for a Swiss club although the Singapore PR says he still regards Singapore as his home.

Cunningham told TNP, "I don't think I could play here (again) because in the five years under the coaches I have worked with, I have learnt more about what not to do than the other way round." The 27-year-old was also the captain of the Toa Payoh-based team.

Source

Park, who spent three seasons at the Toa Payoh-based club told Today, " I am disappointed at the way I am treated by Balestier Khalsa. I don't want to play professional football again, certainly not in the S.League.

It's time to start a new career away from football back in Seoul. I don't know what I will be doing next. Maybe I will learn a new skill."

S-League CEO Lim Chin had stated proudly that the S.League is Singapore's only professional sports league but revelations from the past week suggest otherwise.

1. 10-11 month contracts

This was confirmed by a S-League football player who declined to be named. He said the practice began about two seasons ago when some players were offered 11 month contracts and last season there were some players who were on 10 month contracts running from January to October, which means they will have to feed on grass for two months of the year or are free to find another job.

Hypothetically, a player could play in the S.League from January to October and then in November and December take on a job delivering pizzas. So much for professionalism.

2. Mickey Mouse contracts

When Paul Cunningham's contract with Balestier expired on the final day of the 2014 S.League season on Oct. 31, 2014, it was eight days before the club was scheduled to play in the RHB Singapore Cup Finals where they would play Home United.

Because Cunningham was team captain and one of the best defenders in the league, Balestier decided it needed him to play for them in the final. So they offered him a 15-day contract extension, we repeat a 15-day contract extension - something the Singapore PR accurately described to be a "Mickey Mouse contract".

According to Cunningham, he was told he could either sign the contract or not bother to show up for training any more. That, after five years of loyal service. Well played, Balestier.

3. Lack of respect and communication?

After his 11-month contract expired in October, Park was told by club manager Cheng Tim Nee that he could return to Korea for a holiday and return in December to discuss a new contract. But when he returned to Singapore after a three week break, he was told he would not be offered a new deal. Which begs the question why the club couldn't have spared him the flights from Korea to Singapore and then back to Korea by informing him earlier.

Park had also sent an SMS to Balestier Khalsa president S Thavaneson but did not get any reply. When probed, S Thavaneson's response was, "I don’t have to reply to Park’s SMS. We have a club manager who deals with all administrative matters."

Paul Cunningham sums it up perfectly. He told TNP, " I know how clubs crunch numbers on the number of minutes played. As a professional, I understand and accept that. But at least meet and explain things to me."

"Treat us players as people, especially after five years of service." (emphasis mine)

It was reported in The Straits Times today that some local Balestier Khalsa players alleged that the management did not communicate how the bonus from winning the Singapore cup would be split.

According to some players, Thavaneson said that $75,000 of the $100,000 received from beating Home United in the Singapore Cup final would be shared among the squad of 25 players.

However, the players said that $6,000 was deducted from the $75,000 pool owing to the number of bookings picked up by the players, a decision the players found out only after receiving the bonus. They added that cleaners at Toa Payoh stadium received $100 each while two footballers received nothing.

To which, Thavaneson responded: "Ask the player to name himself. And we will tell the public why he got what he got."

No wonder Balestier Khalsa has had to take out an ad on the Singapore Government's JobsBank managed by managed by the Workforce Development Agency (WDA).

Source

Good luck with that.

Top photo from here.

If you like what you read, follow us on Facebook and Twitter to get the latest updates.