Online Reporter
Robson Sharuko
H-Metro Editor
THE Scottland players blew away a chance to pocket a cool US$160,000 jackpot after they failed to win their grudge match against MWOS at Ngoni on Saturday.
Using a regular squad of 30, which includes the 18 players and a dozen coaching staff, this means that each member of the team blew away a jackpot of about US$5,333.
Given this incentive is outside the usual winning bonuses which the players receive from their club, it means that the Scottland players would have taken home, at least US$6,000 each.
In a league where the regular winning bonuses rarely peak beyond US$300 and US$400, the Scottland players know that they blew away a golden chance for a cool jackpot.
Of course, one has to give credit to MWOS who, inspired by the most-lively crowd we have seen in the domestic Premiership this season, played better football and created the better chances.
Lloyd Mutasa’s men chose the biggest stage of their campaign to produce probably their best performance this season, which is quite remarkable given the high stakes of the game.
MWOS captain Tafadzwa Nyabunze was an inspirational leader on the day and led his team with the kind of composure that inspired others around him.
But, just how big was the jackpot which the Scottland players blew away on Saturday?
Here’s a rough analysis:
- The US$160,000 cash incentive for this one game had more value than the US$100,000 which the winners of the domestic Premiership get for winning the marathon after 34 games.
- It was FOUR times the value of the US$40,000 which the Zambian champions get for winning the country’s top-flight league.
- It was more than TWICE the value of the US$70,000 which is the combined prize money which a club gets for winning the League and Cup double in Zambia.
- It is almost THREE times the value of the US$57, 600 which is the prize money that the Malawian champions get for winning the league in that country.
- When one considers that the Malawian prize money actually got a five-fold boost last year, it puts into proper context the size of the incentives which the Scottland players blew away on Saturday.
Mathew Masinge
Yes the “offer” was mouth watering but the only problem was, it wasn’t promised. It wasn’t there. There was no such promise to Scottland players. You see, if a lie is repeated enough times and is even taken up by those who claim to carry authority and monopoly of information, it becomes “fact” without doubt. But the true fact is, no such promise was made to Scottland players.