KUALA LUMPUR – Former national hockey player Faizal Saari has revealed that he has yet to receive RM11,500 in unpaid wages from his stint with Al-Nasr Hockey Club, which competed in the Oman Hockey League (OHL) last year.
In a recent Instagram post, the 34-year-old forward—who recently retired from the Speedy Tigers after earning 302 caps and scoring 176 goals—criticised the OHL and its national hockey federation over the issue.
He stated that both he and his South Korean teammate, Jang Jong-hyun, have been waiting for more than four months for payment, calling the situation “embarrassing.”
Speaking to Scoop, Faizal confirmed that he played for Al-Nasr in November before returning to Terengganu in January for this year’s Malaysia Hockey League (MHL), where he helped his team secure a treble.
Faizal also recalled facing a similar issue in 2017 when he played for Salalah Hockey Club, where he was not paid RM7,000 in wages.
“This is really embarrassing; it has been more than four months now, and Al-Nasr has yet to pay my salary. I had a bad experience playing in the league before, but when I joined Al-Nasr, I thought things would be different. But it’s the same story. Whenever I ask about my salary, they ignore my messages and calls. Even the team captain has been unresponsive.
“The club owes me RM11,500 for my time in the league, and I’m not the only one—many other international players from Australia, South Korea, and Pakistan are also still waiting for their pay.
“I feel the club is upset because we didn’t win the Omani League and only finished fourth, but that doesn’t justify withholding our wages. We are professionals, not amateurs.
“I also heard from several friends who play for other clubs in the league that the management of Al-Nasr has recently changed, which is causing the delay. But that’s not my problem. I’m sick and tired of waiting—I just want my money,” Faizal said when contacted.
At the same time, he hopes the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) will step in to discuss the matter with the Oman Hockey Association (OHA) to pressure Al-Nasr into settling his payment.
“I understand this isn’t MHC’s responsibility, but I could use their help. I’m not very good at preparing official documents to file complaints with the federation and club. Maybe if MHC raises the issue, they’ll finally respond.
“I desperately need the RM11,500 they owe me. Since I’m no longer a national player, I need a stable income. I’m also planning to start coaching lessons and set up a coaching centre in Pandamaran, Klang, after Hari Raya Aidilfitri, so I need the money for that,” he added.
Meanwhile, Scoop also reached out to Faizal’s Australian teammate, Kieran Govers, who played for Al-Nasr last season. He echoed similar frustrations, revealing that he is owed AUD4,512.63 (RM12,500).
“I’ve played in many leagues and clubs around the globe, and this is by far one of the worst experiences I’ve had in my hockey career. To be honest, money isn’t a big issue for me, but at least the club should have the courtesy to be transparent and explain their side of the situation to us.
“We’ve been waiting for four months now, and God knows how much longer we’ll have to wait. The club should refrain from signing professional players like us if they can’t afford to pay us. I need to start more tournaments to recover the money I’ve lost from Al-Nasr,” said Govers, who helped Australia win a bronze medal in the 2012 London Olympics.
For the record, 14 clubs competed in last year’s OHL, with Ahli Sidab emerging as league champions. — March 3, 2025