Extra on-pitch training is not enough to boost football player performance, said experienced foreign player import agent Mohamad Ibrahim Abdul Rahman.

Instead, he said, monetary bonuses go a long way in bumping up morale, especially when difference in pay with imported players is so vast.

Mohamad Ibrahim added that Malaysia's football league teams must standardise their players’ monthly salaries.

“The salaries of players, including import players, should not be too high. Instead, the management should offer performance bonuses based on performance on pitch,” he told Malaysiakini.

Mohamad Ibrahim, who has acted as an agent for Uzbekistan players since 1989, said bonuses can better incentivise players to improve in every match.

“The same can be said for national players. Basic salaries should be standardised so they do not feel jealous of each other. Instead, with the bonus on offer, they can better focus on the matches,” he said.

He said high salaries which are not tied to performance are a disincentive, because players can earn up to RM50,000 a month regardless of how the team performs.

Ibrahim added that management should only spend as much as they can afford when it comes to salaries.

“We have heard many stories of players not being paid. The same thing happens season after season. The question is, can’t management measure their financial capabilities?

“I know import players can be so stressed out as they have not been paid that their performance nosedives. It also becomes the cause of unwanted incidences like corruption,” he said.

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