WEDNESDAY, 1.00PM:
The brewing wage dispute between Bafana Bafana players and the South African Football Association has been settled, following negotiations and talks on Monday night. Team manager Glyn Binkin said both parties are satisifed with the outcome.
He said: “There will be negotiations before the World Cup but there will not be any more pay disputes I am sure.” He did not divulge how much the players are being paid, but each team member got R90 000 for their recent match against England at Old Trafford.
Safa CE Danny Jordaan said: “All we need now is to focus on the next two matches as the matter has now been laid to rest.”
SPORT BRIEFS
NORTHERNS VAALIES NO MORE THE Northern Transvaal Cricket Union changed its name on Monday night, to Northerns Cricket Union, after 34 union delegates voted on the change. This is the third name change the union has gone through in the past 59 years.
DOWNS DUMP CHIRWALI MAMELODI SUNDOWNS won their last Premier League Soccer match of the season, 2-1 against Witbank Aces, and will not renew their contract with Malawian international Ernerst Chirwali for the next season. Sundowns coach “Screamer” Tshabalala said last night there are a lot of local youngsters who could fill Chirwali’s place, and he will not “deny them their opportunities.” Sundowns will tour Germany and the Czech Republic later this month.
CELTIC SIT-IN BLOEMFONTEIN CELTIC staff and players staged a sit-in on Tuesday, demanding their salaries for May. The team, coach and technical staff camped out at co-director Savvas Kyrricou’s wholesale outlet yesterday demanding payment. One senior player said: “We do not have food at home and our children and relatives are suffering.”
RANGERS AWARDED FIVE players from Premier Soccer League champs Manning Rangers received awards at the annual Rentmeester/Soccer News Football Player of the Year Award on Tuesday night. George Koumantarakis was voted Footballer of the Year, and Gordon Igesund the Coach of the Year. Rangers’ Simon Makhubela, David Modise and Grant Johnson all won merit awards.
INJURIES DELAY NAMING GAUTENG LIONS rugby coach Ray Mordt has not yet named his team to play in the Currie Cup match against Boland on Saturday. Lock forward Kobus Wiese has a calf muscle strain, and Mordt is being cautious of repeating the mistakes of the recent Super 12 matches, when much of his named team bowed out to injury.
TSICHLAS IN HIJACK DRAMA HIJACKERS attempted to steal the car of Mamelodi Sundowns managing director Nastasia Tsichlas on Monday, but three traffic officers intervened. The officers arrested three suspects, and retrieved Tsichlas’ handbag, which was stolen off her passenger seat when the hijackers broke her car window.