Phoenix Players: Paid in $NZ or $Aus

Are the wages, weekly, fortnightly or monthly?

Thanks Tony, good to see a Victorian-born Italian-blooded gent doing well with himself!

Yes, but look at Tony P's note about it above. Stuff like the lock-in rate for the Dollar exchange (and what;s included in the cap) is what this thread is about. Look above the "NZ club, NZ dollars" stuff, we're thinking real world business stuff here (or at least trying to!
diego's son2009-11-09 03:08:17

May as well ask him if the players Xmas Hampers are included in the cap!

Tony P2009-11-09 13:57:12

  C-Diddy2009-11-09 14:06:59

I'm guessing here, but as far as the superannuation issue goes you'd have to assume that WPX would match whatever the Aussies get, just as a necessity of being competitive in the employment market.

diego's son2009-11-09 15:23:38

About the same time he faded out...
Hard News2009-11-09 15:24:19

So if Accomodation and flights are included in the salary cap?

I think Tony means any club funded personal flights or accomodation.  Not match related.

So a holiday in Paris isn't used as a gift outside the cap, and nor is a million dollar house on Gold Coast waterways.

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

That's correct. It's a good system, aside from the "second marquee" thing in season three (clubs replacing injured players with players with uncapped salaries - like Bridges at SFC and Aloisi at CCM), no one has effectively rorted it.
Only SFC giving Zdrilic $50k in a brown paper bag in Season One (and being found out), and BRFC going over the cap by  tiny sum (poorly calculating superannuation payments) in Season 3 (?) have been breaches. It's pretty watertight.

It's also worth noting that there are the Service Agreements in place. External companies (i.e. sponsors) can pay players for external services (i.e. branded clinics, advertising campaigns, etc) outside of the cap, to an extent. I think that extent is 20% of the cap.

So if the cap is $2.2mill AUD, then $440k AUD can be spent by sponsors on players for various small tasks (or given as a gift equivalent - say a car). In the end it means the total amount payable to players is more like $2.6mill, but the club doesn't pay all of it.


If a player is also involved in a coaching role with the club (i.e. Andrew Clark at CCM, or Muscat at MVFC), I believe 1/3 of their wage is not counted in the cap. Don't quote me on that exact figure though.


Salaries in the cap range from approx $42kpa (minimum wage, note this includes super [compulsory 9% in Aus], whereas in Australia at least most salaries are given as $x + super), up to about $250kpa (and maybe even a bit more for some players) in the cap next year.
In the first season of the HAL, the biggest salaries in the cap were guys like Colosimo at PGFC, Zdrilic at SFC, etc, on $200kpa or so. Back then, big earners were anyone on like $120k+

Coming in to next year, $100kpa is pretty average. Higher paid players will be pushing $300k in the cap, there will be a LOT of players just either side of $150k, and even talented kids can be asking for more than $55k (whereas in Season One they took their $38k thankfully).

It's been a big jump, and is helping with attracting foreigners (Ifill will surely be right up there in the highest-paid players of all teams next year), and keeping players here (i.e. Colosimo would be looking at $260k+ based on his form, that combined with home comforts may keep him away from a $400k+ asian contract).
Jaza2009-11-18 14:42:41

one news says Ricki Herbert's pay package is $250k

Jaza, are there any restrictions on spouses and/or family members of a contracted football players either working for the club itself (or one of the owners companies) or one of the sponsors or companies paying a service agreement?

For example, player A moves to GCU under the cap but spouse has reportedly gotten a job earning lots of $ organised through the club as a way of topping up player A's salary.

"she doesnt even have to turn up"

Just players.

so player/coach gets a bit dodgy then..

Diego's son, Ive been thinking about the exchange rate issue for years, dunno why I didnt just jump on here and ask. Now its all explained.

No worries, Wellington is lucky that the club CEO comes on here at times to answer your questions. Melbourne Victory had Tony Ising do something similar, but it was canned just after Season 2.

Good question to ask, especially as NZ doesn't appear to pay the 9% Superannuation that Australia does, so that would be a factor as well.


diego's son2009-11-20 10:22:37

Not really, it would be two separate contracts. The players contract would be negotiated based on the previous players contract (i.e. what the player/coach was as a player beforehand and equivalent expected rises) on an appropriate pro-rata playing performance under assessment of the club board. This can be assessed under the cap. And the coach contract will be based on equivalent coach of that level is expected to his peers. (the association will know the equivalent expected pay salary). Well that is based what one old club that has done that in the past I know had done. It may be different nowdays.

But each club is different in dividing the the stuff but as long as the club board and parties as well as the association is satisfied with the justifications of the contracts and passes the review process of the association, then it is OK. Its how it is drafted up.AllWhitebelievr2009-11-20 18:45:27

I'm not familiar with any restrictions, but I can't imagine them being so tight on other loopholes but letting one that obvious go. I've mostly been impressed with how well (and fair) it covers things.

Player/coach is simple.

Approx 70% (I forget the exact figure - there is one) is counted in teh salary cap. The rest isn't.