Cricket legend Greg Chappell has revealed going through a financial struggle with his friends pitching in to set up an online fundraising platform to "enhance his last few years", according to a report. (Cricket News)
The 75-year-old former Australia captain, who also had a controversial stint as the head coach of the Indian team from 2005-2007, admitted that he is doing fine but is certainly not living a life of luxury as a result of his cricketing career.
"I바카라m not on the bones of my a**e,바카라 Chappell told News Corp.
"I certainly don바카라t want it to sound like we바카라re in desperate straits, because we바카라re not 바카라 but we바카라re not living in luxury either. I think most people assume that, because we played cricket, we are all living in the lap of luxury. While I바카라m certainly not crying poor, we바카라re not reaping in the benefits that today바카라s players are,바카라 he said.
According to the report, Chappell "reluctantly" agreed to a GoFundMe page being set up for him, along with a testimonial lunch held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) last week 바카라 hosted by Eddie McGuire and attended by cricket greats, including brothers Ian and Trevor.
Chappell further said he is not the only player from his era who experienced financial difficulties, even though the landscape of professional cricket has come a long way since his retirement.
바카라It is just my friends who realised that we didn바카라t get a lot and just to make sure that Judy and I were comfortable in our retirement,바카라 Chappell said.
바카라To be fair, there are others of our era who are in more dire circumstances that could do with the help and I don바카라t think the game has done enough for players of that era. Particularly about the comparison with today바카라s era."
바카라I believe the players that set the scene for what바카라s happening today, should probably be recognised for the role they played in getting the game to where it is today,바카라 Chappell added.
Pacer Dennis Lillee, wicketkeeper Rod Marsh, and Chappell were part of an iconic trio that defected to Kerry Packer바카라s World Series Cricket in the late 1970s.
But unlike Lillee and Marsh, Chappell didn바카라t receive a fundraising testimonial at the end of his career to help set him up after retiring from cricket.
A report in news.com.au quotes Chappell바카라s friends saying that he is doing it tougher than an Australian sporting legend ever should.
"Greg is a very proud man. He바카라s doing it tougher than what he says,바카라 Chappell바카라s friend Peter Maloney said.
The Australian great also runs the Chappell Foundation, which raises funds for homelessness charities.
But the foundation makes sure every cent is distributed each year and Chappell doesn바카라t keep any money for himself.
바카라The Chappell Foundation is run by Darshak Mehta and 100 percent of the money that is raised gets distributed,바카라 Maloney said.
바카라They distribute it annually so at the end of each year, they don바카라t leave any money and they바카라re starting afresh."
"If you put your name to a foundation you바카라re entitled to take some money out of it. But Greg hasn바카라t taken a cent out of it, even though he could have.
바카라I guess that was the irony that he was the face of it and turning up to every function and he바카라s raising all this money while he didn바카라t have a hell of a lot himself.
바카라Put it this way, we will probably end up raising about $250,000 out of it, and it will significantly enhance his last few years,바카라 Maloney added.
Chappell scored 24 centuries across 87 Tests during 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.
