Cedevita and the Eastern European mentality!
After my first article, I received a couple of messages saying me that Cedevita has the money, they have millions in the bank or I don’t know where they keep it. But sure not in the players’ pocket.
We have it! We have it! Don’t worry! It was just a delay! A mistake of the accounting office! Or the sponsors delay a bit sending the money! It is all that you can hear all season long in many countries from Eastern Europe.
I remember a couple of years ago, I think it was in 2012-2013 Euroleague season when Khimki players wanted to start a strike because they weren’t paid by 3 months! And the most interesting part of the issue was that Khimki won in those months against Panathinaikos, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Fenerbahce and other top teams in Europe.
So, this problem of players’ salaries is rising every single year in Eastern Europe. Today in Croatia, tomorrow in Romania, Czech Republic, Serbia or Russia or other countries from the area. It’s not just about the money, it is about the mentality: sometimes the owners have the money for anything in the world, but not for the players’ salaries or simply are trying to get rid of some players and coaches without paying them and as an excuse, they took the bad performances of the team. This is lack of professionalism and of any ethics! Without these two elements, any success can be just temporary and accidental!
The players are employees like other workers, they have to be paid in time like in the other jobs. Is their sacred right, to be paid in time is not a privilege!
Nobody cares how much money a club has in the bank, this is imaginary money! I care about the satisfaction of the players, who are treated as human beings and get their salaries every month!
