Engineer Hersi Ally Said, the chairman of Young Africans SC, revealed the startling travel expenses for their journey to South Africa, claiming it was an extreme financial burden.
Yanga will lock horns with Mamelodi Sundowns in the CAF Champions League quarterfinal second-leg clash at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria on Friday night.
The match will get under way at 8pm.
The first leg ended in a goalless draw at the Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium in Tanzania on Saturday last week.
Hersi Ally Said, the chairman of the recently established African Club Association, spoke candidly with the SA Football Journalists Association (Safja) on Wednesday about some of the difficulties that various teams face.
Costly travel expenses
One of the difficulties encountered by numerous clubs during the CAF (Confederation of African Football) competitions is the high cost of transportation.
“It’s very expensive to run a football club. I can tell you that our trip to South Africa to play Mamelodi Sundowns costs $80 000 [R1.5-million],” Hersi Ally Said told Safja journalists.
“A return ticket [per person] costs about $600, and I’m coming here with 50 people [players and staff]. How much is that? It is $30 000.
“So, when you calculate 50 people multiplied by $150 per day, also multiplied by the four days we will be spending here, how much is that? It is another $300 000.
“You haven’t captured anything outside of flights and hotel costs. You also need to commute while here. Some of the players and technical staff need to be paid daily allowances when they travel.”
Financial support
Hersi Ally Said went on to emphasise the importance of getting adequate financial support from the CAF and promised that through the clubs’ association, these challenges would be addressed.
“We need money to run these football clubs. If these tournaments are coming in, we’re more than happy if they can elevate the packages,” he said.
“So, I am happy with Patrice Motsepe, the president of CAF, who said he wants to also give money to the teams eliminated in the group stages of competitions, unlike previously when you used to get zero for getting eliminated in the group stages.”
