Seventeen national footballers on Tuesday signed contracts with the AIFF that has players, who recently struck deals with new clubs with increased pay packages after the I-League season, getting almost the new amount while others got 15 per cent hike to their existing salary.
The arrangement means that players like Steven Dias and Mohammad Rafi, who signed new contracts with Churchill Brothers, will get the same amount as their new salary. They were reportedly getting lesser amount from their former club Mahindra United as compared to other top players.
The AIFF had proposed 15 per cent hike in the existing (2009-10 season) salary of select 30 players on pro-rata basis for eight months (June to January, 2011). They will train under national coach Bob Houghton exclusively for the January 7-29 Asian Cup in Doha, Qatar.
Another 10 players are expected to sign their contracts on Wednesday while Sunil Chhetri, Gouramangi Singh and Subroto Paul's case could be taken up later.
"Seventeen players today signed their contracts and 10 more will sign tomorrow. Those who have got new contracts (after 2009-10 I-League season) will get the amount they will get under their new deals. Those who do not have new contracts will get 15 per cent hike in their old salary," AIFF vice-president Subroto Dutta, one of the four officials, who handled the contract issue, said.
"There was also no gradation in the salary among the players. All the players are happy and satisfied," he added.
AIFF Executive Committee members Larsing Ming and Joaqium Alemao and general secretary Alberto Colaco were the other three officials.
National captain Bhaichung Bhutia said the players were satisfied with their contract and patted the AIFF for taking the initiative to sort out the tricky issue.
"I can't speak for all the players. But from what I can understand most of the players are happy. It is a good sign that the AIFF was trying to see that no player is in loss," he said.
Another senior player Renedy Singh was also happy that the contract has been signed to pave the way for preparations of the Asian Cup.
"I am happy that the contract has been signed and I have no issues," he said.
Renedy said there would be a 10-day window next February for those players who do not have contracts now.
Steven Dias said he had not thought that he would get almost the same amount he would be getting under the new contract with Churchill.
"The amount is not exactly what I will be getting from Churchill but I am really happy with my contract. I had not thought that I would get this much amount from the AIFF," Dias said.
Besides Bhaichung, Renedy and Dias, those who signed the contract were NP Pradeep, Subhashish Roy Chowdhury, Mohammed Rafi, Govin Moirangthem, N Mohanraj, Mahesh Gawli,
Climax Lawrence, Sameer Naik, Anthony Pereira, Clifford Miranda, Anwar Ali, Surkumar Singh, NS Manju and Dipak Mondal.
