BBC SPORT | Football | Africa | McCarthy ditched by SA



By Mohammed Allie BBC Sport Online in Cape Town

South African striker Benni McCarthy will not be considered for selection for future internationals unless he explains comments made about Bafana Bafana players' new contracts.

South African FA official Albert Mokoena said McCarthy had "excluded himself from international duty" by returning the contract unsigned and speaking out to a Johannesburg newspaper.

The striker slammed the new deal.

We have a duty to use funds we receive to develop the game instead of paying players

Safa's Albert Mokoena

"I refused to sign the contract because the money offered was a joke," McCarthy said.

"They are offering players money that I was earning four years ago, and it is unacceptable.

Most importantly, I refused to sign in sympathy with the local players who are the ones that suffer most."

The entire South African squad that travelled to Ivory Coast for last weekend's Nations Cup qualifier were handed the new contracts.

They were told to take them to their agents, and return them signed for Bafana Bafana's next international.

South Africa play Malawi in the final of the Southern African championship on 21 September.

Andre Arendse is captaining South Africa
Arendse wants discussions
Players who failed to make the trip to Abidjan, including Lucas Radebe, Quinton Fortune and Siyabonga Nomvete, will be given the contracts when they are next called up.

Mokoena said the main body of the contract was standard and related to team sponsorship and players' insurance.

But the main sticking point is over pay.

"The national executive of Safa have decided to do away with appearance fees," said Mokoena.

"Players will now be given bonus incentives for draws and wins. The size of the bonus will depend on the nature of the competition."

"It's an honour to play for your country. The players can't expect to be paid to play for their national team when they are still being paid by their clubs while on international duty.

"We have a duty to use funds we receive to develop the game instead of paying players," Mokoena added.

Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Andre Arendse, who captained the team against the Ivory Coast, told BBC Sport Online that he was not prepared to sign the contract in its present form.

"I'm hoping to have discussions about it. But we need to talk soon because it's not the kind of thing we want to talk about prior to a match when our focus is elsewhere," said Arendse.


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