When a football club decides to hit a player where it hurts most, the message is clear, nobody is bigger than the badge.
According to reports, Al-Hilal have docked former West Ham winger Crysencio Summerville 50% of his monthly salary.
Last month, Summerville found himself at the centre of controversy during Al-Hilal’s AFC Champions League Elite clash with Qatar’s Al-Gharafa. The Dutch winger was shown a straight red card in the 33rd minute after a heated altercation with former AC Milan midfielder Ismaël Bennacer.
The AFC later reviewed the incident and handed both players a three-match suspension alongside a financial penalty. Al-Hilal’s hierarchy clearly felt that was not enough. After waiting for the referee’s report and the AFC verdict, the club invoked its own disciplinary code and hit Summerville with an additional sanction by withholding half of his monthly salary.
Time to rue an expensive transgression: Crysencio Summerville
The fine has certainly put the spotlight on Summerville and raised questions about how the relationship between player and club will develop from here.
West Ham secured £55m and an additional £5m in potential bonuses for the players services in the summer after just two seasons at the London stadium.
Summerville has played ten games so far for Al-Hilal, scoring three goals and registered three assists. Many questioned his move to Saudi, with the player rejecting a move to AS Roma. Indeed the Italian club, who were close to an agreement were frustrated that the player traded competitive European ambition for financial rewards in Saudi Arabia. His reported salary, is a staggering £278k a week and a four year contract (according to Capology). The recent fine has certainly reinforced that his club expect more from the Dutch international!
Some supporters were sad to see him depart, yet West Ham have moved on, banked a sizeable profit and brought in two wingers, Manor Solomon and Edvin Austbo for a fraction of the price.
Summerville’s long term prospects in the Saudi league carry plenty of question marks, and I would not be surprised to see a loan exit materialise in the foreseeable future.
Well done club. Crys’ own fault and he deserves not to be paid if he has made himself unavailable and let down the hand that feeds him.
This kind of action should happen more often.
Perhaps players like Alvarez and Paqueta won’t be so keen to get themselves yellow and red cards if it costs them cash for their downtime. Earnings need to be earned.