Etoile chairman Hicham Moudden (above) has vowed to pay $150,000 worth of overdue wages by May.
ETOILE FC's beleaguered footballers will
receive their overdue wages - about $150,000 - over the next three
months, after both club and players signed an agreement at a Ministry of
Manpower (MOM) hearing yesterday.
The French club, who pulled out
of this year's S-League on Jan 16, owe their 23 players and assistant
coach David Maubon almost three months' wages each.
Said club chairman Hicham Moudden: 'All is good and well now; we'll concentrate on making the monthly payments to the players.'
In a previous hearing on Feb 10, which Moudden failed to attend, MOM had given the club one week to make payment.
But, under the terms of the latest agreement,
Etoile will pay November's salary in the first week of March, December's
in the first week of April and so on.
It was signed by Maubon and six players -
Nordine Talhi, Anthony Moulin, Andrea Damiani, Julien Durand,
Jean-Charles Blanpin and Serge Souchon - who attended yesterday's
session at Havelock Road.
While defender Talhi, 25, is pleased that the
issue has been resolved, he is reserving judgment on Moroccan-German
businessman Moudden, who took over from Frenchman Johan Gouttefangeas
last June.
'I will only be truly happy when I receive my
money,' said Talhi, who is owed about $6,000. 'Hicham has promised us
many things in the past, but nothing came true.'
The right-back, along with former teammate
Damiani, are renting a room in a Pasir Ris flat and have invited Maubon
to stay with them as well.
Maubon's contract as assistant coach was to run until January next year, but that will now end in June. He is owed $15,000.
Said the 39-year-old, who joined the club last
July: 'I'm tired... Once I get my first payment, I plan to fly back to
France and spend time with my family.'
Of the eight players still remaining in
Singapore - including Franklin Anzite and Sirina Camara - five have been
signed by other clubs.
The other three - Moulin, Durand and Blanpin - are believed to be searching for jobs here.
Meanwhile, there is also the matter of the
$90,000 loan from the Football Association of Singapore that Etoile had
received in advance for the 2012 season last November.
With his outfit no longer in the league,
Moudden has stressed that returning the loan will be a priority - after
he settles the outstanding wage bill.
The 42-year-old has also pledged to continue with football activities at the grassroots level.