THE salaries of Bafana Bafana coaches continue to plummet from the heady and extravagant days when Brazilian Carlos Alberto Parreira pocketed R1.8m a month.
It has now been learnt that one of Parreira's assistants, fellow Brazilian Jairo Leal, had been earning R550,000. He was recently released by the South African Football Association. Both men's salaries were largely subsidised by Fifa, while current salaries are paid by Safa alone.
But new coach Gordon Igesund said yesterday he was "entirely satisfied" with the deal he had negotiated with Safa to replace Pitso Mosimane. Igesund said he regarded his package as confidential, but reliable sources said his salary was about half the R800,000 a month Mosimane reportedly earned.
The new salary packages represent the removal of a financial millstone from the neck of Safa, which is now able to pay the national soccer coach and his assistants more realistic salaries.
The salaries of Parreira and Leal had forced Safa into a situation where it had to pay Mosimane, who had succeeded Parreira, more than the assistant coach.
Now that Leal's contract with Bafana has been terminated and he is not part of the technical staff under Igesund, Safa has been able to make a fresh start in assessing the coach's salary, while not having its hands tied by past extravagances.
"Frankly, I'm not interested in what Parreira was getting or what Pitso was getting," said Igesund, who was given a two-year contract.
"I'm being paid what is to me a reasonable and fair amount and I'm going ahead with all the energy at my disposal in trying to do the best I can for Bafana and the country."
While Igesund begins what he considers an "exciting, inspirational endeavour" behind the starting line with Bafana already having dropped four points from their two opening qualifying games for the 2014 World Cup, he is not being distracted by financial permutations. And he is not daunted by the fact that he has been mandated to guide Bafana to next year's Africa Cup of Nations semifinals and also ensure qualification for the World Cup in Brazil in 2014.
Bafana pay cuts, but Gordon ok
THE salaries of Bafana Bafana coaches continue to plummet from the heady and extravagant days when Brazilian Carlos Alberto Parreira pocketed R1.8m a month.
It has now been learnt that one of Parreira's assistants, fellow Brazilian Jairo Leal, had been earning R550,000. He was recently released by the South African Football Association. Both men's salaries were largely subsidised by Fifa, while current salaries are paid by Safa alone.
But new coach Gordon Igesund said yesterday he was "entirely satisfied" with the deal he had negotiated with Safa to replace Pitso Mosimane. Igesund said he regarded his package as confidential, but reliable sources said his salary was about half the R800,000 a month Mosimane reportedly earned.
The new salary packages represent the removal of a financial millstone from the neck of Safa, which is now able to pay the national soccer coach and his assistants more realistic salaries.
The salaries of Parreira and Leal had forced Safa into a situation where it had to pay Mosimane, who had succeeded Parreira, more than the assistant coach.
Now that Leal's contract with Bafana has been terminated and he is not part of the technical staff under Igesund, Safa has been able to make a fresh start in assessing the coach's salary, while not having its hands tied by past extravagances.
"Frankly, I'm not interested in what Parreira was getting or what Pitso was getting," said Igesund, who was given a two-year contract.
"I'm being paid what is to me a reasonable and fair amount and I'm going ahead with all the energy at my disposal in trying to do the best I can for Bafana and the country."
While Igesund begins what he considers an "exciting, inspirational endeavour" behind the starting line with Bafana already having dropped four points from their two opening qualifying games for the 2014 World Cup, he is not being distracted by financial permutations. And he is not daunted by the fact that he has been mandated to guide Bafana to next year's Africa Cup of Nations semifinals and also ensure qualification for the World Cup in Brazil in 2014.
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