It seems like SAFA (South Africa Football Association) has avoided another embarrassment after they and the players reached an agreement over player incentives for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Ghana later on this month. It had seemed as if the players were not happy with what SAFA was proposing to them and there could have been a possibility of the players not wanting to play in the tournament. One can only imagine what damage this would have caused for the country and how it would have looked in the leaded up to 2010.

It would not have surprised me if SAFA and the players did not reach an agreement. It would not have been the first time it would have happened in World football. Who can forget what the Togo players almost did in the World Cup in 2006. If players are threatening to walk out of a World Cup what more an Africa Cup.

But I am glad SAFA and Bafana Bafana have reached an agreement. It is not clear exactly how much the players will be getting but it is thought to be that the players will get about R65 000 each for progressing past the group stages and if they go on to win the tournament the players could pocket R500 000 each.

I always wonder in situations like this, there will be those players who hardly get a game, there are in the squad purely as backup. Take for example the reserve goalkeeper. He will hardly even play a single minute in the tournament but if Bafana Bafana go on and win the tournament, will he also get R500 000? We all have our own views about this but I feel that ‘reserve’ player should get their R500 000 for virtually doing nothing. He was part of the squad and deserves his share even though he did not play.

As much as I love South Africa, I honestly can not see them winning the Africa Cup of Nations. Bafana Bafana are still a long way away from being a major force in Africa football let alone World Football. Bafana Bafana would have done very well just to progress past the group stages and I feel that should be their target for this tournament and not aim to win it. But who knows, in 1995 the Springboks won the Rugby World Cup and then in 1996 Bafana Bafana went on to win the Africa Cup of Nations. So lightning may strike twice as the Springboks won the Rugby World Cup last year so Bafana Bafana ‘should’ win this year.

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