GUADALAJARA, Mexico – US internationals DaMarcus Beasley and Michael Orozco Fiscal joined the rest of the Puebla squad Tuesday in a press conference to raise their concerns about the non-payment of wages at the club.
Team president Jésus López Chargoy had said Monday that the squad was owed 15 days wages, which prompted the protest from captain Luis Noriega and the entire playing staff.
“We want to say that this squad is owed from a month and a half to three months (wages), corresponding to the months of November, January and February, as well as bonuses from last season,” said Noriega, surrounded by the squad, with photos on social networks showing Beasley and Orozco Fiscal were present.
Noriega went on to say that Puebla’s poor recent results were not caused by the lack of payments and vowed that the players will keep giving 100 percent effort for the fans.
This isn’t the first time Beasley has seen Puebla engulfed in financial problems, with Mexico’s tax authorities seizing club property in January 2012 due to an unpaid tax bill, much to his incredulity.
Puebla isn’t the only Liga MX team with problems paying wages either.
Gabriel Farfan’s Chiapas FC is also reportedly behind on payments and Camilo Sanvezzo’s Querétaro is in disarray after the Liga MX confirmed on Monday that the Mexican government has seized the assets of club owner Amado Yañez.
Tom Marshall covers Americans playing in Latin America for MLSsoccer.com. E-mail him at tom.marshall.mex@gmail.com.
