SOCCER: Andrew Muchineripi
ANYONE mentioning the words government intervention to a South African football official would be well advised to run for cover from a tirade of verbal abuse.
Only last weekend, Kaizer Chiefs managing director Kaizer Motaung had few kind words to say about Steve Tshwete, suggesting that the sports minister should direct his searchlight on sports other than football. “It appears only football officials are being targeted by the minister,” said the guiding light behind the black and gold. “Corruption in other codes is rife and it is time this was addressed.” But even the man who once graced the pitches of South Africa with such style and skill would have to admit that there is one area where government intervention would be most welcome.
Chiefs qualified for the 1997 African Champions Cup and then withdrew because they mistakenly believed there were no financial incentives and the venture would leave the Amakhosi covered in red ink. In fact, there are tens of thousands of dollars at stake for the first time in the African club showpiece. What a pity no one at the African Football Confederation headquarters in Cairo bothered to tell Kaizer. The other annual Pan-African competitions, the Cup-winners Cup and the CAF Cup, will continue without prize money, so while Orlando Pirates are set to cash in as Chiefs’s replacements, Jomo Cosmos and Bush Bucks face financial worries.
Should the government not intervene, as it did when South Africa first entered the club championships four years ago, and bankroll the participation of our flagbearers?
A recent magazine survey indicated that the majority of footballers, coaches and officials were in favour of testing South African skills and strength against the best Africa has to offer. But how sad to relate that while Chiefs (probably one of the best run and richest clubs on the continent) cannot afford to grace African pitches, impoverished nations like Chad and Equatorial Guinea send out clubs.
Most countries rely on government assistance to fulfil fixtures and perhaps the time has come for South Africa to follow suit and ensure that qualification for Africa is a reward and not a punishment. Of course, there would have to be give and take in any deal involving the sports ministry and the clubs qualifying for the Champions, Cup-winners and CAF cups.
We suggest the ministry foots the bill for all expenses, including accommodating visiting teams and match officials and flying South African representatives abroad. In return, the profits from matches staged in South Africa, including gate receipts, television and advertising rights, are ploughed back into government coffers.
The bottom line is the clubs make no profit or loss with the government carrying the risk. With discipline and dedication it could even prove a profitable exercise for the ministry.
Regarding discipline, we are not referring to the actions of players in the heat of battle, rather the number of people who board jets to fly the South African flag in distant lands.
It never ceases to amaze this correspondent how many officials (or hangers on) are needed when a team flies to an attractive destination like the sun-kissed islands of Mauritius.
Government must insist on a travelling party not exceeding 20, comprising 16 footballers, a coach, a trainer, a doctor and one official. There is no need for a South African Football Association member to accompany clubs. Quite apart from the unnecessary expense, officials from the embattled national association have far more important things (like restructuring) to occupy their time and minds.
Clubs qualifying for the Cup-winners and CAF cups would surely jump at the opportunity of financial security while Champions Cup chal-lengers could have the options of going it alone or accepting government assistance. Pirates face trips to Malawi or Lesotho and Zimbabwe or Uganda in the qualifying rounds for the Champions League, where every point is worth dollars and the Buccaneers could collect R2-million should they reach the final.
Cosmos will visit Swaziland or Namibia and, assuming first-round success, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Malawi or Rwanda. If could be worse with road transport a possibility in the opening round.
Jomo Sono is seldom short of surprises, but even the legendary Black Prince would probably concede that Dar es Salaam and Kigali are slightly beyond the range of his team bus.
CAF Cup contenders Bush Bucks from Umtata have drawn Centre Chiefs of Botswana, which should not seriously damage the kitty, but a flight to Reunion to face Stade Tamponnaise is the likely and costly second-round scenario.
It is too late for government intervention this year (unless a club suffers a financial crisis) but it should be seriously considered in future and if Chiefs are involved, Tshwete and Motaung can even share a pipe of peace.