The Zebras failed to clear the first 2022 World Cup hurdle as they fell 1-0 to Malawi this week. The loss means the Zebras only have the Africa Cup of Nations fixtures to contend with between now and the next COSAFA Cup, scheduled for the winter of 2020.
Botswana was booted out of the African Nations Championships (CHAN) by Zambia last month. The Zebras will play back-to-back matches against Algeria and Zimbabwe in November, and then have a lengthy break, until next year October to return to AFCON action.
With a tough AFCON group, the Zebras new coach, Adel Amrouche’s other focus is the COSAFA Cup, which he has been told to win.
Amrouche’s reported P250,000 salary per month, provided the talking point after the Zebras exit. The Belgian has hardly had time to drill the team after his appointment, with his assistant, former care taker coach, Mogomotsi Mpote, picking the team that faced Malawi.
The Zebras wasted several gilt-edged opportunities in Francistown, but were under pressure for the better part of the second leg in Malawi on Tuesday.
With the disclosure of the coach’s salary, might come expectations from the public. Although, the coach’s salary is dwarfed compared with powerhouses like Egypt, Nigeria, Morocco and South Africa, it is still a considerable figure, making him the highest ever paid Zebras coach.
In the region, Amrouche’s salary is only below that of the South African coach, who earns in the region of R500,000.
Stuart Baxter earned around P800,000 when he took the team to the AFCONSome of the region’s national team coach’s salaries:
Angola P180,000
eSwatini R70,000
Namibia R70,000
Malawi P50,000
South Africa P800,000
Zimbabwe P84,000