Motsepe widens gulf between haves and have nots
Patrice Motsepe’s CAF presidency has predictably been anchored on a preset ‘business-like’ approach. But the rigid trajectory has alienated the poor clubs as the already cash-rich institutions like Mamelodi Sundowns smile all the way to the bank, argues S
Between Botswana’s Eleven Angels and Egyptian super club, Al Ahly, which one features more prominently in Motsepe’s football agenda? In this context, Eleven Angels or Mutondo Stars from Zambia’s Super League, represent a group of poor clubs who are increasingly isolated under Motsepe’s two-year rule at CAF.
At the extreme end, there is Al Ahly, Wydad Casablanca, Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates, Esperance and a host of other super-rich clubs that seem to enjoy the president’s lap treatment. Motsepe came into office in March 2021, replacing Madagascar’s Ahmad Ahmad.
Motsepe’s introduction of the Africa Football League (AFL) has not received overwhelming backing, with concerns from particularly lesser clubs.
Despite criticism, the South African billionaire pressed ahead with a plan to have the eight-team competition this year. The eight elite teams were handpicked from only eight countries out of CAF’s 54 members.
The list includes established and wellresourced clubs, with the winner initially standing to pocket $11.6 million (P150 million), a whooping total compared to what other CAF competitions, including winning the Africa Cup of Nations trophy offer.
While it was during Motsepe’s tenure that the AFL took off the ground, FIFA president, Gianni Infantino is credited as the brains behind the exclusive tournament. In 2019, Infantino encouraged CAF to establish a competition that will feature 20 top clubs within the continent.
“We have to take the 20 best African clubs and put them in an African league. Such a league could make at least $200 million (about
P26 billion) in revenue, which will put it in the top 10 in the world,” Infantino said then.
Ahmad was the CAF president at the time the idea was mooted. However, the idea was not implemented until Motsepe came into office in 2021.
After Mpote took over, a few months later plans for Africa’s Super League were approved by CAF’s executive committee. Last year,
Motsepe indicated the tournament would include 24 teams from 16 countries, although the criteria was not outlined. The competition was supposed to be launched in August this year and to run until May 2024.
However, the expanded tournament did not take place. Instead, eight teams were randomly picked for the inaugural competition. Sundowns emerged as the winners and the South African side banked $4 million (approx. P52 million) for the six games played. In addition, Sundowns is in contention to pocket another $4 million if the team wins the CAF Champions League. Clubs which were selected to take part in the AFL already enjoy massive financial backing.
Despite misgivings, Motsepe is full of praise for CAF’s recent initiative.
“If anything, it will improve the quality of our competitions and we also have to get to a point where we restructure some of our tournaments to ensure they live up to our expectations,” Motsepe recently said.
In addition to the Super League, last week CAF and Motsepe announced the formation of yet another exclusive grouping, the Africa Club Association (ACA). CAF says the association intends to protect and promote the interests of African clubs. ACA is Motsepe’s brainchild.
The elitist gathering has excluded the ‘have nots’, as Motsepe once again puts the leading clubs in the limelight. Participation is strictly by invitation, and only top teams make up the membership. The ACA is modelled along the European Club Association (ECA), which is a private association of some of Europe’s top clubs.
In pursuit of profits and a business-like model of running football, Motsepe has isolated smaller clubs that have to feed on crumbs, argue critics.
But Motsepe’s approach has hardly been surprising as he comes from a rich corporate background. One of Africa’s richest men with an estimated net worth of $2.3 billion, Motsepe’s interests are primarily in mining, although he oversees a diverse portfolio of business.
However, his business-like approach could squeeze life out of the smaller clubs and, in the process, widen the gap between the rich and poor clubs.
To his credit, Motsepe introduced the CAF schools competition, increased the prize money for club competitions, as well as and doubled grants extended to national associations from $100,000 to $200,000.
However, the grants still fall way below what clubs in the newly introduced Super League and the Champions League receive as prize money and are insufficient to spur grassroots development and other national association activities. Concern has been raised about the overall quality of Africa’s football, with the talent drain to the more rewarding European leagues unrelenting.
There is a particular worry about the state of infrastructure. Exorbitant costs of participating in the CAF club competitions have seen lessmonied clubs forced to withdraw, which has led to increased calls for the Motsepe-led continental body to help capacitate clubs through the associations.