Five Ghanaian players in the South African Absa Premier League are set to take pay cuts to ease economic pressure on their clubs amid the coronavirus pandemic.
As the coronavirus pandemic sweeps the globe, pressure has grown on the more privileged pockets of society to contribute some of their riches towards the desperate efforts to quell the spread.
Unsurprisingly, the spotlight has fallen on elite-level footballers, who earn thousands - in some cases hundreds of thousands - each week, with calls emanating from various quarters for them to make donations to healthcare services or agree to pay cuts so that non-playing staff can continue being paid.
However, PSL football clubs are flirting with the idea of cutting players’ salaries but some football officials think it is not realistic as South African football players don’t get paid the same amounts as their European counterparts.
The South African Football Players’ Union (Safpu) are planning to have a discussion with the PSL before the league gives clubs the green light to cut wages.
Safpu president Thulaganyo Gaoshubelwe says they have a good relationship with PSL and believe they will make a decision that will benefit the players.
“We need to sit down and have a mature discussion. We are open to discussions to understand when these clubs’ bosses say I am struggling and I’m not able to pay salaries,” Gaoshubelwe was quoted by Sowetan LIVE.
“Ok, why are you struggling? What is the cause of your income stream because we don’t know that? So there are quite a number of things that we need to talk about. For us to arrive at a decision we really need to have those serious discussions and that’s very important.”
Should the Safpu manage to find breakthrough in their quest, Ghanaian players in the league such as Richard Ofori (Maritzburg United), Samuel Darpoh (Amazulu), Edwin Gyimah (Black Leopards), Mohammed Anas (Polokwane City) and Nana Dwomoh Akosah-Bempah (Cape Town City FC) will have to take pay cuts to help ease the economic pressure on their various clubs.
By: Kwame Kusi