NEW DELHI: Cricket icon Greg Chappell has revealed that he is facing financial challenges and his friends have banded together to create an online fundraising platform aimed at “improving his quality of life in his later years,” as reported.
The 75 year old former Australian captainwho had a particularly controversial tenure as head coach of the Indian cricket team from 2005 to 2007, admitted that while he gets by, he is by no means living a luxurious life because of his cricket career.
“I’m not on the bone,” Chappell told News Corp.
“I certainly don’t want it to sound like we’re in a desperate situation, because we’re not – but we’re not living in luxury either. I think most people assume that because we played cricket, we all are. “I live in luxury. While I’m certainly not poor, we don’t benefit from the advantages that today’s players have,” he said.
According to the report, Chappell “reluctantly” agreed to have a GoFundMe page set up in his name. A testimonial lunch was organized at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) last week, hosted by Eddie McGuire and attended by cricket legends including brothers Ian and Trevor.
Chappell also pointed out that he was not the only player of his era to face financial challenges, despite the significant advances in the professional cricket landscape since his retirement.
“It’s just my friends realizing we didn’t get much and just to make sure that Judy and I are comfortable in our retirement,” Chappell said.
“To be fair, there are others of our time who are in a worse situation and could use the help, and I don’t think the game did enough for the players of that time. Especially compared to today.” “
“I believe that the players who laid the foundation for what is happening today should probably be recognized for the role they played in getting the game to where it is today,” Chappell added.
Pacemaker Dennis LilleeWicketkeeper Rod Marshand Chappell were part of an iconic trio that moved to Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket in the late 1970s.
But unlike Lillee and Marsh, Chappell did not receive a donation receipt at the end of his career, which would have helped him rebuild after his retirement from cricket.
A report in news.com.au quotes Chappell’s friends as saying he does it harder than any Australian sporting legend ever should.
“Greg is a very proud man. He does it harder than he says,” said Chappell’s friend Peter Maloney.
The Australian star also runs the Chappell Foundation, which raises funds for homeless charities.
But the foundation ensures that every penny is distributed every year and that Chappell doesn’t keep any money for himself.
“The Chappell Foundation is led by Darshak Mehta and 100 percent of the money raised is distributed,” Maloney said.
“They distribute it annually, so at the end of each year they have no money left and have to start over.”
“If you give your name to a foundation, you have the right to withdraw some money from it. But Greg didn’t take a dime out of it even though he could have.”
“I guess that was the irony of him being the face of the cause and showing up to every event and raising so much money even though he didn’t have much himself.”
“To put it this way, we’ll probably end up raising about $250,000, and that will add a lot of value to his final years,” Maloney added.
Chappell scored 24 centuries in 87 Tests in the 1970s and 80s and led Australia 48 times. He retired from Tests in January 1984 as the highest run-getter (7110) in Australian Test history, surpassing Sir Donald Bradman’s record of 6996 runs.
(With PTI inputs)
The 75 year old former Australian captainwho had a particularly controversial tenure as head coach of the Indian cricket team from 2005 to 2007, admitted that while he gets by, he is by no means living a luxurious life because of his cricket career.
“I’m not on the bone,” Chappell told News Corp.
“I certainly don’t want it to sound like we’re in a desperate situation, because we’re not – but we’re not living in luxury either. I think most people assume that because we played cricket, we all are. “I live in luxury. While I’m certainly not poor, we don’t benefit from the advantages that today’s players have,” he said.
According to the report, Chappell “reluctantly” agreed to have a GoFundMe page set up in his name. A testimonial lunch was organized at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) last week, hosted by Eddie McGuire and attended by cricket legends including brothers Ian and Trevor.
Chappell also pointed out that he was not the only player of his era to face financial challenges, despite the significant advances in the professional cricket landscape since his retirement.
“It’s just my friends realizing we didn’t get much and just to make sure that Judy and I are comfortable in our retirement,” Chappell said.
“To be fair, there are others of our time who are in a worse situation and could use the help, and I don’t think the game did enough for the players of that time. Especially compared to today.” “
“I believe that the players who laid the foundation for what is happening today should probably be recognized for the role they played in getting the game to where it is today,” Chappell added.
Pacemaker Dennis LilleeWicketkeeper Rod Marshand Chappell were part of an iconic trio that moved to Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket in the late 1970s.
But unlike Lillee and Marsh, Chappell did not receive a donation receipt at the end of his career, which would have helped him rebuild after his retirement from cricket.
A report in news.com.au quotes Chappell’s friends as saying he does it harder than any Australian sporting legend ever should.
“Greg is a very proud man. He does it harder than he says,” said Chappell’s friend Peter Maloney.
The Australian star also runs the Chappell Foundation, which raises funds for homeless charities.
But the foundation ensures that every penny is distributed every year and that Chappell doesn’t keep any money for himself.
“The Chappell Foundation is led by Darshak Mehta and 100 percent of the money raised is distributed,” Maloney said.
“They distribute it annually, so at the end of each year they have no money left and have to start over.”
“If you give your name to a foundation, you have the right to withdraw some money from it. But Greg didn’t take a dime out of it even though he could have.”
“I guess that was the irony of him being the face of the cause and showing up to every event and raising so much money even though he didn’t have much himself.”
“To put it this way, we’ll probably end up raising about $250,000, and that will add a lot of value to his final years,” Maloney added.
Chappell scored 24 centuries in 87 Tests in the 1970s and 80s and led Australia 48 times. He retired from Tests in January 1984 as the highest run-getter (7110) in Australian Test history, surpassing Sir Donald Bradman’s record of 6996 runs.
(With PTI inputs)
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