As expected, age-old rivals Nyasa Big Bullets and Be Forward Wanderers, who enjoy an annual sponsorship package in excess of K100 million each, lead in paying players game bonus incentives.
According to Weekend Nation findings, the Nomads top the ladder in terms of incentives for a win as they pay their players K30 000 each—K5 000 more than Bullets who come second.
However, the Nomads could also be the least paying team in the league when it comes to drawn matches as they pay their players only K2 000 each while Bullets players receive K12 500—half the amount they get for a win.
None of the teams pays players for a loss.
A soccer analyst George Kaudza-Masina said as it is, the two teams are almost at par, “Bullets make up for the difference by paying their players more for a draw compared to Wanderers.”
He added that traditionally, on the domestic scene, game bonuses play a crucial role in motivating the players although that is not reflected in the performance of both Bullets and Wanderers this season, especially in the league in which they are fifth and sixth respectively with 24 points each but with a game apiece each to wrap up the first round.
However, to their credit, Bullets have so far won the Presidential Cup.
Nomads’ team manager Stevie Madeira said the low incentive [K2 000] offered to their players for a draw is by design “as it is meant to drive them to aim for wins.”
Ironically, the Nomads have drawn six times which is the equal number of games they have won and are only second to Epac FC who have drawn seven times.
Mzuzu University (Mzuni FC), Epac FC and Azam Tigers offer their players K20 000 each for a win but differ on draws.
Mzuni pay their players K10 000 each for a draw, Tigers players get K10 000 each only for drawn matches against the big three—Bullets, Wanderers and Silver— but get nothing when they draw against other teams.
On the other hand, Epac offers its players K5 000 each for a draw.
At K18 000 for a win and K9 000 for a draw, Civil Service (Civo) United probably comes next.
League leaders Blue Eagles, Silver Strikers and PremierBet Wizards have similar game bonus offers of K15 000 each for a win and half the amount (K7 500) for a draw.
“We might not necessarily be one of the best paying teams in the league, but we are one of the teams that honour our obligations and those that meet requirements are also offered jobs and that is why they are committed,” said Eagles team manager Gabriel Chirwa.
Dwangwa United and MTV Max Bullets also offer their players K15 000 each for a win and K5 000 for a draw.
Max Bullets owner Max Kapanda said: “We are just a small team that struggles to make ends meet and we cannot compete with big teams such as Bullets and Wanderers, but from the little we get, we try to pay our players modest game bonus to motivate them.”
Karonga United players earn K10 000 for a win each and half the amount for a draw.
Weekend Nation could not get game bonuses for Malawi Defence Force (MDF) teams as they do not have fixed amounts. n
