When it comes to money, Bafana Bafana coach Carlos Alberto Parreira clearly thinks in big figures — which is perhaps befitting of someone whose monthly pay package from the South African Football Association (Safa) is a cool R1,8-million.
But after Parreira had criticised Safa for balking over meeting Uruguay’s pay demands for a friendly game against Bafana, which was tentatively planned for Wednesday, the national association countered with an equally firm, if veiled, rebuke of the former Brazil World Cup coach, who has up until now been deemed ”untouchable” since his arrival in South Africa.
”Safa appreciates the coach’s concern about not securing the world’s 23rd-ranked Uruguay for a game that would have provided Bafana with valuable experience,” said director of communications Morio Sanyane, ”but we can assure Mr Parreira every effort was made to secure the services of the South Americans”.
Sonyane said the ”truth of the matter” was that Uruguay never appeared overly keen to engage Bafana on the way back home from Australia, where they secured a 2-1 win over the Socceroos over the weekend.
”They informed CEO Raymond Hack that a number of their Europe-based stars would not be available to make the trip to South Africa,” added the Safa communications director, ”and demanded a match fee of R1,8 million” — which, by some coincidence, is the amount Parreira earns a month.
”Safa would normally pay between R600 000 to R900 000 for a game similar to the one envisaged against Uruguay,” said Moria, ”and it was simply not feasible within our budget to more than double the amount in the circumstances.”
Parreira reportedly stated at a press conference after Bafana’s 4-0 African Nations Cup qualifier win against Chad in Durban on Saturday that money should be no object if South Africa was serious about moulding a combination able to make a meaningful impact while hosting the 2010 World Cup.
To which one onlooker commented succinctly: ”If Safa had not put all their eggs in one basket and agreed to pay Parreira an astronomical salary by all the norms of South African soccer’s economy, they might have been in a position to afford the game against Uruguay instead.” — Sapa