SuperSport United CEO Stan Matthews has explained in detail the burden of competing in the CAF interclub competitions, revealing how much his club would spend.
Stan Matthews conceded that playing club football in Africa, be it CAF Champions League or CAF Confederation Cup, would leave SuperSport in a dire financial state as it has in the past.
The Tshwane side is set to return to continental football next season, which Mathews says is a big achievement for a club with limited resources and a tight budget.
However, as much as Stan Mathews aspires to win the Champions League or Confed Cup, he believes that competing in Africa is not ideal as SuperSport is bound to suffer financially afterwards.
SuperSport, in third place on the log standings, have punched above their weight this season. They managed to secure a top-three finish for the first time since 2010.
They are tied on 51 points with second-placed Orlando Pirates, who have a superior goal difference heading into the DStv Premiership finale this weekend.
“I want to compete in the Champions League or Confed Cup. I want to win a gold star,” said Mathews. “We desire success. We want to win but are we really in a position to be able to do that?
“And what does it mean for my squad, and what does it mean for the stability of the franchise?
STAN MATHEWS ON FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF PLAYING IN AFRICA
“I also have a board of directors and a CFO. I also need to meet the budget, and competing in Africa is guaranteed going to lose me money. We’ve been to the final [Confed Cup], and we lost over R4 million.”
By virtue of qualifying for CAF’s interclub competitions, Mathews says SuperSport are left with no choice but to break the bank to bolster the squad.
This is so that they can put up a fight in either the Champions League or Confed Cup.
“Playing in Africa, I’m going to need two to three extra players. I can’t expect the kids to come and play in Africa.
“So three extra decent players are going to cost me R4 to R6 million. And then I’m going to have to put another R3 million into travel. So I’m going to be R10 million down next year playing in Africa.
Mathews reiterated that he is eager to play in Africa but maintained his stance that it is not a challenge financially for his club.
“It’s a tough call to feel good about qualifying for Africa. We want it, don’t get me wrong; that’s the league we’re in. We understand the environmental constraints, but that is the situation.
“And if Africa was really so lucrative, then we could know that we’re definitely going to make not lose money. But I’m only guaranteed the R1 million that the PSL gives me as a grant to go to Africa for my first-round match. From there on, I’m on my own. I’m guaranteed to lose over a million each round.”
RELATED STORY: Ncikazi says competing in Confed Cup is ‘a burden’
