Joe Marler was left stunned after discovering the highest wage of Jimmy Bullard’s career.
Marler recently made headlines after announcing his retirement from international rugby – insisting it is ‘the real one this time’ – at the age of 34.
Though he’ll still play for Premiership Rugby club Harlequins, Marler is nearing the days on the sidelines and in the punditry studio, such as Bullard has undertaken.
And Bullard recently made an appearance on Marler’s Things People Do podcast, where they discussed the former Fulham star’s highest wage packet.
Marler asked: ‘In your heyday, what were you on as a footballer?’. Bullard replied: ‘My biggest contract was £50k a week’.
Joe Marler was left stunned after discovering the highest wage of Jimmy Bullard’s career
Bullard played for the likes of Fulham, Hull and Wigan during his playing career
Marler looked visibly shocked as his jaw dropped, before he replied: ‘£50k a week?!’
Bullard was later asked what he assumed current day Premier League footballers earn, to which he said: ‘I’d have to say a few of the Man City boys must be on £350k a week’.
According to Capology, Man City’s highest earner is Kevin de Bruyne who makes a reported £400k-a-week.
Bullard played for the likes of Fulham, Hull and Wigan during his playing career before eventually retiring in 2012.
Marler, meanwhile, has made headlines for his decision to retire from international rugby having previously stepped down from England duty in 2018, only to have a change of heart.
He has decided it is the right time to end his long period of national service, which began way back in June, 2012, against South Africa in Durban.
Days after his social-media posts about the Haka caused outrage and debate, Marler delivered an altogether different message, about his desire to prioritise his family; wife Daisy and children Jasper, Maggie, Felix and Pixie. ‘It’s time for me to move on,’ he said.
Bullard revealed that his highest wage was around £50k-a-week during his football career
England legend Marler recently announced his retirement from international rugby aged 34
‘I feel very sad but very proud. Playing for England always felt like I was living in a dream bubble. I kept waiting for it to pop and me to suddenly go back to being a gobby, overweight 16-year-old again. But you know when it is time.
‘I can’t do what I used to do as well as I once could. I can’t keep talking about my family being my priority unless they actually are. I want to keep untarnished all these memories of my career, both good and bad. I don’t want to leave my house with my kids crying. I am ready to make the change.
‘I’m incredibly grateful I got to play 95 times for my country. I have to pinch myself. Did I really do that? I’m grateful to all those people who showed patience as I kept messing up. I’m grateful to the fans who made each match special. I’m grateful to the team-mates who pushed alongside or behind me, and the ones who could do all the things with a ball that I can’t.’
