The Siya crew has established how Mamelodi Sundowns have structured the club's bonus policy for players and the technical team.
Indications are that players share 80 percent of the prize money across all competitions the club is involved in, should they win it, with the remainder split between the head coach and the entire technical team!
Soccer Laduma has seen a document detailing the bonus set-up and incentives for the Chloorkop-based outfit, which yet again came into effect when Downs were crowned MTN8 champions nearly two weeks ago.
Following the cup victory over Cape Town City at the Moses Mabhida Stadium, the Siya crew reported then that the R8-million prize bonanza would be for the players to enjoy after ending the long drought in the prestigious tournament.
In contrast, the highest a City player was set to pocket is around R220 000, depending on the number of games played, this according to Siya sources.
One insider described the Downs hierarchy as "very generous", but in reality the decision taken is agreed to in their contracts.
Sundowns have a standard rule of dangling a lucrative carrot that dates as far back as when Patrice Motsepe took full control of the club, nearly two decades ago, and showed it by luring the biggest names on the market.
This appears to have given them a big edge over their rivals, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates, who in the past had the foundation to convince players to move to either one of the Soweto giants.
But these days they have to compete with Downs' financial muscle as well as the fact that the Brazilians have now overtaken them as the team with the most titles in the modern Premier Soccer League era!
While Sundowns players and technical team go into tournaments briefed of the financial rewards, the Siya crew understands that their counterparts often rely on a senior players' committee to propose a bonus structure on an ad hoc basis.
So, it's not a set rule at Chiefs, Pirates, Swallows or Cape Town City, for instance, the Siya crew has been told.
Furthermore, should the prize money increase, it's believed that Downs do then take that into account with the recent example being an additional R5-million to the DStv Premiership league winners.
Under previous sponsors Absa, the log leaders at the end of the season walked away with R10-million and Motsepe regularly confirmed to the media that the players and technical team would share the winnings.
Sundowns players have also been given guarantees that they will receive performance bonuses for winning PSL matches.
"In respect of Premiership Soccer League matches, the footballer will also receive a net performance bonus of between R5000 and R8000 per PSL match won, which shall only be payable after every four PSL matches won by the club," reads the document seen by the Siya crew in part.
Considering that the Brazilians have won eight in nine league games so far this season, the players are already closing in on R100 000 before the campaign has even reached the halfway mark.
According to sources privy to the dealings at Chiefs and Pirates, the two clubs do not have a match bonus system – whatever incentives are decided on are on at the hierarchy's discretion on an ad hoc basis.
Story by @superjourno
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