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Bafana Bafana reject bonuses

COUNTRY FIRST: Gordon Igesund with his players. Photo: Gallo Images
COUNTRY FIRST: Gordon Igesund with his players. Photo: Gallo Images

Players want incentives after first round

BAFANA Bafana have rejected any advances for bonuses in the Africa Cup of Nations, with the players stating that they will only look to get paid if they qualify for the quarter-finals.

This is unusual for the national team as players often hold the football federation to ransom on the issue of bonuses before major tournaments.

The 2010 World Cup was no different, as was the Confederations Cup the year before when players demanded heavy payouts for merely participating in the two competitions which they had not even qualified for.

Bafana are yet again hosts, this time of the continental showpiece, which kicks off on Saturday and ends on February 10.

Yesterday, minutes before Bafana's evening training session at Orlando Stadium, coach Gordon Igesund revealed that the players had refused to accept incentives for all three of their Group A matches.

"They said they don't want to get paid for the first game and they don't want to get paid for the second game as well even if they win these matches," said Igesund.

"They said: 'Let us qualify for the next round (quarterfinals) first' and then maybe they can get something."

This shows great determination for a team that has been suffering from heavy criticism following a winless streak in their previous two friendly matches against Norway (1-0 defeat) and Algeria (0-0).

Igesund said it was a big boost to go into the Afcon - Bafana play their opening match against Cape Verde at the National Stadium on Saturday - without the distraction of bonuses.

This week, reports suggested that Bafana players would be paid R1-million each if they were to go all the way to the final of the Afcon and win the tournament.

However, Igesund did not confirm how much the players stand to make if they are indeed crowned African champions.

"This is probably a first in the history of the national team to hear players saying they do not want to get paid for a game," said Igesund.

"They have showed great character in the midst of what has been happening," he said.

After the game against Cape Verde, Bafana Bafana will then face Angola and Morocco in Durban at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.

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