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Robbie Gaspar isn’t the type of footballer to feature prominently in the papers, be it the front or back pages.

You won’t find the amiable Aussie out clubbing to all hours or chasing the latest model or celebrity. He is quite content to stay off the radar and do his own thing, which just about describes him on the field as well.

After six and a half years in Indonesian football, Gaspar is a bit of a veteran. Following spells in Malaysia and Brunei, he arrived in 2005 and since then has played for Persita Tangerang, Persiba Balikpapan and most recently Persema Malang. His status as resident long-term Aussie meant he was instrumental in guiding many fellow countrymen who were attracted to the world’s largest archipelago by the short-lived Indonesian Premier League.

It’s not just his Aussie mates who hold him in high regard. Gaspar was recently appointed to the executive committee of the Indonesian Players’ Union (APPI) alongside stars like Indonesian internationals Bambang Pamungkas and Ponaryo Astaman.

The notion of a footballers’ union is a new one for this part of the world, and Gaspar believes it is long overdue. Indonesian clubs have a notorious reputation for late payment of salaries at best and ignoring contracts at worst. FIFA has a backlog of cases from players and coaches seeking their rights under contracts they had signed in good faith.

As Gaspar puts it, “apart from the fans, the players are the most important part of the game.” As in all walks of life, a happy employee is a productive employee.

“It’s not just the players that sign the contract,” Gaspar said. “It’s the clubs as well, and they should ensure they have the money in their budget.”

Tales of late payment of salaries are legion, with clubs whining to the media that they have no money, they’ve not had a home game for a long time or the local government hasn’t released any funds to them.

In his wonderfully understated way, Gaspar says of his new role that he “just wants to help the boys out.”

There is a new leadership at the helm of Indonesian football. With it comes the hope that players will get a better deal than before, and not just in the pocket. There has been talk of multi-year contracts — 12-month deals has been the norm — which Gaspar said was a good thing as they give the players more security.

The knock-on effect for the clubs is the potential for transfer fees, something that happens too rarely at the moment. With clubs now having to source their own funds and no longer able to receive local government subsidies, though, it is an avenue they need to start exploiting.

Salary caps have been discussed, and Gaspar points to the A-League back in his home country as an example of how they can be successful. At the same time, though he is aware they can be a “catch-22.”

“You don’t want clubs paying too much, then they can’t pay the players six months down the track,” he said. “It’s all about finding a halfway point where the clubs are happy and the players are happy.”

It remains to be seen whether the APPI will be successful in taking care of its members. There are many attempts going on behind the scenes in football to improve the product on and off the field, but they are up against a well-oiled machine whose default mode is obstruct and delay. The new season is less than two weeks away and we still have no idea how the league will look!

But amid the turmoil, the players at least can rely on Gaspar doing his best to “help the boys out.”