headingu $hooto

[samuraiwig]

TOKYO, Dec 20 (Reuters) - Japan's national team have threatened to boycott international friendly matches if their demand for a pay hike is not met, local media reported on Monday.

The Japan Pro-Footballers Association (JPFA) said the unhappy players would back down only if they are offered a significant pay rise. "We have no plans of backing down," JPFA executive officer Tetsuro Kiyooka was quoted as saying by the Kyodo news agency.

JPFA lawyers will meet their counterparts in the Japan Football Association on Tuesday to find a way out of the crisis. "We cannot comment as we are leaving the situation in the hands of our lawyers," the JFA said.

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Nice redundant reiteration of the point in the second paragraph...

Apparently they get around US$2,000-$2,500 if they win a game and they want at least US$12,000 a game guaranteed.

That 2K seems small bananas, especially for the players easning big money in Europe. Keisuke Honda must be making around US$30,000 a week in Moscow and is worth more on the market after his eye-catching World Cup.

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

That 2K seems small bananas, especially for the players easning big money in Europe. Keisuke Honda must be making around US$30,000 a week in Moscow and is worth more on the market after his eye-catching World Cup.

Working on the assumption that it's OK for basically brainless jocks with a certain amount of sporting prowess to make as much money for a couple of hours playing a game as many people earn in a month, I have to agree with you that by the standards of grossly overpaid sportspeople it's a pittance. They certainly deserve more, especially when you consider they almost always pay to a packed house of about 50,000 and command high ratings that generate considerable income. It begs the question of who's getting all the cash if the players are only getting that much. I suspect it may be the JFA, who could do well to open the purse strings and get the matter over-and-done-with quickly and quietly before too many more people start asking the same question.

Personally, in an ideal world, I'd love to see all sportspeople's wages capped and games made more affordable for average punters, but there aint no room for pinko visions like mine (Of course, my opinion would change drastically if I was anywhere near decent at sports....).

Mind you, Tiger Woods' efforts of equaling Kim Ill-Sung by scoring a hole-in-one with 19 birdies was pretty impressive...

[dimwit]

Why the hell would any pro want to play for the national team and risk injury for peanuts? The only attraction for playing with the national team is that it garners one international attention. For player already competing international it is a big nothing.