By Kgomotso Mokoena
Pitso Mosimane and his camp have rejected a R5-million-a-year salary offer that the South African Football Association (Safa) has put on the table to entice the decorated mentor to take over as the new Bafana Bafana head coach.
Sunday World can exclusively reveal that Mosimane’s camp has instead laid down their own counter to the football governing body: that he be paid at the same level as the departing Bafana coach Hugo Broos.
He also wants to bring along his trusted three-man technical team when he assumes the role.
Mosimane has also indicated a willingness to start working as early as tomorrow and to work without agreed remuneration while negotiations for a more “respectable” package continue in the background.
The former Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly coach wants a single package for himself and his team members after the national association proposed that his three lieutenants be remunerated separately.
Mosimane’s trusted assistants are Musi Matlaba (performance analysis coach), Kabelo Rangoaga (fitness coach) and Kyle Solomon (football performance analyst), who have travelled and worked with the head coach in North Africa and in the Middle East.
On Saturday, the Safa national executive committee (NEC) approved the appointment of Mosimane as the new Bafana Bafana coach.
At the NEC extraordinary meeting, Safa president Danny Jordaan said: “The NEC has approved the appointment of coach Pitso to Bafana Bafana but we still need to tie up some loose ends. We will make a formal announcement of the coach next week.”
Sunday World understands that the first meeting between Safa representatives and Mosimane’s camp was on Wednesday, when Safa brought their heavy artillery — CEO Lydia Monyepao, technical director Molefi Ntseki, chief financial officer Gronie Hluyo and chief medical officer Dr Thulani Ngwenya.
The R5-million offer was made verbally by Hluyo on Thursday. Mosimane’s representatives proposed that the remuneration and overall package for Mosimane, together with his three technical assistants, should at least, be comparable to the remuneration and overall package afforded to Broos and also be put in writing.
The Belgian, who achieved the extraordinary feat of helping Bafana qualify for the recent Fifa World in the US, was on a monthly salary of $75 000 (R1,4-million) when he signed.
As part of the package, he received an additional R70 000 per month for accommodation in Sandton and also return flights to Belgium.
A well-placed insider has revealed that the Safa offer is a bit “disrespectful” to a coach of Mosimane’s calibre.
“The coach has established himself as one of the most successful African coaches. The coach was not even earning that amount when he was Carlos Alberto Parreira’s assistant in 2007. Safa also paid him more than this when he took over as head coach in 2010, and now they want him to pay him less, it does not make sense,” the insider said.
Mosimane’s camp are arguing that there appears to be a recurring perception that Mosimane is “too expensive” or that Safa would be unable to afford his services and those of his technical team. They maintain that does not accurately reflect Mosimane’s position. Their stance is that the appointment and remuneration of the head coach and his three assistants should be considered and negotiated as one comprehensive technical package.
About the R5-million proposal, they “respectfully” voiced their concern and said it was materially below the publicly reported remuneration associated with the position of the most recent former Bafana coach, Broos.
Mosimane’s camp say they do not want the question of remuneration — either his own or that required for his three technical assistants — to become an obstacle to serving his country.
They also do not want an inability to agree on the financial terms to be interpreted or represented as a lack of willingness on his part or that of his technical team to take responsibility for the national team.
Said the insider: “Should Safa be unable, at this stage, to meet the remuneration required for the appointment, Mosimane, together with his three technical assistants, is prepared to commence their duties with Bafana from tomorrow (Monday) without immediately drawing professional coaching fees, while the parties work in good faith to conclude an appropriate contractual and funding arrangement for the head coach and the three-member technical team.”
In conversations that this publication has been privy to, it was understood that the proposal is made as a demonstration of coach Mosimane and his technical team’s commitment to South Africa and South African football.
“His willingness, together with that of his three technical assistants, to make this proposal should, therefore, be understood for what it is: a commitment to country, rather than a reflection of their professional market value.
“In these circumstances, remuneration should not be presented as an impediment to the appointment of coach Mosimane and his technical team,” the informant said.
Mosimane’s agent Moira Tlhagale could not be reached for comment.
Safa referred Sunday World to its earlier statement confirming Mosimane’s appointment.
- Pitso Mosimane and his camp rejected Safa's R5-million-a-year salary offer to become Bafana Bafana head coach.
- Mosimane's camp demands a package comparable to the departing coach Hugo Broos and wants to include his three-man technical team in a single contract.
- Mosimane has indicated willingness to start coaching immediately without agreed pay while negotiations continue.
- Safa's national executive committee approved Mosimane's appointment, with a formal announcement expected next week.
- Mosimane's camp criticized Safa's offer as disrespectful and below the remuneration Broos received, highlighting Mosimane's proven coaching credentials.
SAFA seems to have a problem with African coaches. Their colonized mindset are beginning to show because they were deceived into believing that an African doesn’t deserve a better salary even if they do the same job with their white counterparts.
Instead of increasing Coach Pitso’s salary especially when the cost of living becomes higher by day, they decide to decrease it, not because they can’t afford it, but because of his skin colour. Danny Jordan must just go, really.
Our football body can’t be led by people who can’t wake up from their colonial slumber.
Safa paid Carlos Alberto Parreira 1.2 million rands per month when he realized that he had made enough and the well was still punching the much needed juice,he brought his friend and left South Africa.
16 years later thst cant pay a local coach the same amount or even more,his record is proven.
True theres more to this.
Safa must just do the right thing pay Mr Mosimane a good salary, and let him take bafana bafana to the next level. Viva Mosimane viva