According to Siya sources in the know, the South African Football Association hierarchy is keen to open performance bonus talks for the Africa Cup of Nations with Bafana Bafana players early.
This is to avoid an embarrassing situation unfolding on the eve of the tournament similar to how the women's senior national team – Banyana Banyana – took the federation on ahead of the FIFA Women's World Cup.
Bafana earlier this year sealed qualification to the continental tournament to be staged by Ivory Coast in January when they beat Liberia away from home and confirmed their qualification among the 24 teams.
With SAFA's financial woes becoming a public spectacle of late, the side coached by Hugo Broos has twice contemplated boycotting friendly matches due to outstanding payments, an act labelled a ticking timebomb.
There's a little over two months before the Afcon gets underway and Broos is expected to announce his final 23-man squad before the end of the year prior to their base camp in Korhogo.
Siya sources understand SAFA will explore ways to try and deal with payment structures before the team leaves the country and once CAF has also announced the bonus breakdown for participating sides.
Although FIFA had long done the same for the Women's World Cup, the association dragged its feet in confirming how they would top that up for Banyana and this is what led to the stand-off that saw the players boycotting their farewell match at the Tsakane Stadium in June. SAFA want to avoid the saga playing itself out yet again.
