A day after announcing his sensational move to become Johor FA's technical adviser, local football legend Fandi Ahmad claims he is owed around four months' salary by his former employer Sembawang Soccer Academy (SSA).
Confirming that he also had not received CPF contributions over the same period, the 49-year-old (left) told The New Paper: "I've sent them a letter to pay me what I'm owed by the end of the week."
Fandi's monthly salary is believed to be $25,000, with a housing allowance of $5,000.
It is understood that after the SSA had repeatedly defaulted on the payment of his salary, Fandi, who signed a five-year contract as SSA's director of football development, served notice to leave the academy on Jan 15, although he extended it by four days later on.
Sources also tell TNP that up to 16 ITE footballers, who are allegedly also owed allowances by the SSA, subsequently followed Fandi to be part of his H-Two-O Dream Team.
Fandi's revelation is another low point for the beleaguered SSA, which was embroiled in a contractual dispute with its Italian partner, Genova International School of Soccer (GISS).
Breach of contact
Last October, GISS director Morris Pagniello had said that the SSA failed to make payment for a training camp in Italy.
In its defence, SSA director Ferdinand Robert had claimed that the GISS had breached the contract in the first place, according to an interview with The Straits Times.
Yesterday, TNP revealed Fandi's new three-year deal to be Johor FA's new technical adviser, which will commence on Thursday.
Since retiring as a footballer and becoming a backroom staff, the national icon has led SAFFC to the S-League title in 2000 and 2002 as coach.
As Raddy Avramovic's assistant, Fandi helped the national team lift the Tiger Cup in 2005, before he took on a more lucrative offer with Indonesian club Pelita Jaya.
There, his accomplishments include masterminding their promotion from the second division, largely banking on a youth policy, before leaving the club in March 2010.
