Rollers budget P2m for group stages
Staff Writer | Friday March 23, 2018 15:59
Rollers became the first Botswana side to reach the group stages of the Champions League after dismissing Tanzanian champions, Young Africans 2-1 on aggregate.
On Wednesday, they were drawn in a group that has north African giants, Al Ahly and Esperance as well as Uganda’s Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA).
With six group stage matches looming, Rollers have set aside P2million for a phase which will reap at least P5.2million.
Rollers are guaranteed $550,000 for reaching the group stages and might rise, if they finish better than fourth.
“It will cost us more or less P600,000 over two legs per match. We have budgeted around P2million for the group stages,” club president, Jagdish Shah said yesterday.
He said they will not disclose how much the players will get at the end of the group stages, after they reportedly pocketed P25,000 each for their exploits thus far.
“We will talk about that later, at the moment our aim is to go as far as possible in the tournament,” Shah said.
He said Rollers progress meant a lot not just to the club, but the country. “I am no longer talking about Rollers only, but the whole country as whole.” Rollers play their first match in the group stages against an equally inexperienced opponent, KCCA on May 5.
Top class action involving quality opposition, Al Ahly and Esperance follows, with the matches certain to generate excitement. Al Ahly are eight time record winners of the Champions League while Esperance have won it twice.