Sunday World (South Africa)

Chiefs bosses mum over CAF final bonuses

Al Ahly players receive incentives

- By Xolile Mtshazo

While Kaizer Chiefs CAF Champions League final opponents Al Ahly’s president Mahmoud El Khatib splashes special bonuses on his players, Amakhosi’s top brass on the other hand have been mum about their financial rewards.

Chiefs made history in the year they celebrate their 51st anniversar­y by qualifying for their maiden African Champions League final to face the

Pharaohs of Cairo, Al Ahly, in the penultimat­e match yesterday.

The Red Eagles of Egypt are coached by former Mamelodi Sundowns tactician Pitso Mosimane, who squared up against his countrymen, Soweto’s Glamour Boys, in the grand finale of the most prestigiou­s African inter-club competitio­n in Casablanca, Morocco, last night.

After the victory against AS Vita Club of the DRC in the first round, Al Ahly players have received incentives following their 3-0 win over the Congolese away in Kinshasa.

For their heroics, “Bibo”, as club president El Khatib is fondly known, gave double-win bonuses convincing­ly beating Vita, apparently in recognitio­n of the players’ courageous performanc­e.

This was followed by Mosimane giving the players a fiveday rest to help them recuperate.

In the semi-final match, the Pharaohs won 3-0 over Tunisia’s Esperance, and the Al Ahly bosses decided to reward players with a special bonus after the team’s 1-0 first-leg away victory and similarly, the first team had a two-day rest upon arrival in Cairo last month.

But Mosimane is well too familiar with the tradition of rewarding players with bonuses.

At his former club Mamelodi Sundowns, Mosimane’s former boss and club president, now CAF head honcho, mining mogul Patrice Motsepe, constantly and generously rewarded players with bonuses for winning major trophies.

When contacted about the possibilit­y of the dangling of the incentive carrot to players for reaching the final, both Chiefs football manager Bobby Motaung and newly appointed sporting director Kaizer Motaung Jr, who were in Casablanca for the final, did not answer their phones or reply to messages sent to them.

Staff members called on

Dstv channel to charge and discipline him

 ?? /Gallo Images ?? Chiefs players celebrate during the CAF Champions League 1st leg quarter-final match against Simba SC.
/Gallo Images Chiefs players celebrate during the CAF Champions League 1st leg quarter-final match against Simba SC.

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