Broos admits to Bafana-Safa row over Afcon bonuses

Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has admitted there is a dispute between his players and the South African Football Association over payments ahead of next year’s Africa Cup of Nations finals.

The draw for the Afcon finals will take place in Abidjan in the Ivory Coast on Thursday evening (9pm SA time). Bafana are preparing for a friendly international against Swaziland on Friday evening and will play the Ivory Coast in another friendly in Abidjan on Tuesday.

Broos told SABC Sport at FNB Stadium on Thursday that there was a problem in terms of negotiations between the players and Safa.

This comes after a huge bonus row erupted between Banyana Banyana and Safa on the eve of the Fifa Women’s World Cup earlier this year.

“I can’t deny it, there are problems at the moment,” said the Bafana head coach.

“You know, it’s always the same when the big tournaments are there – there’s a discussion about bonuses and so on…it’s always a discussion. At the moment the discussions are not so positive for the players.

“But I know, with my experience, in the end there will always be an agreement. It’s not really motivating that we have this before our game tomorrow and the trip to Ivory Coast. I hope this will not affect the players’ performance.” 

‘It happens everywhere’

“It happens everywhere, and certainly when big tournaments are coming,” added Broos.

“The players will be talking about bonuses. But maybe now the moment is not really right. I will try to talk to the players to put it out of their heads as well as next week.

“I have to be fair, that’s all, to see who is right and who is not. I am the guy in-between. It’s important for me ahead of the Afcon that these things are done. We will see in the next few weeks how things will go.”