BONUS ROW DIVIDES BAFANA BAFANA

Bafana Bafana's World Cup bonus negotiations are threatening to divide the national team.

It's not the amount of the money that is at the centre of the brewing storm, but rather who will negotiate on their behalf.

Tony Irish of Irish Incorporated Attorneys has reportedly been tasked with the responsibility of negotiating bonuses on behalf of Bafana with Safa, but the South African Football Players Union is up in arms against this.

'We heard about Irish negotiating on behalf of the players, but no one has informed us. This is out of line because we are the ones who represent soccer players in this country,' Safpu president Simba Marumo told East London's Daily Dispatch on Wednesday.

'We are entitled to represent players at every level and we don't know why Irish thinks he can represent soccer players. The players cannot bypass us because we are the body which represents their interests.'

Marumo said they had engaged Safa chief executive officer, Leslie Sedibe, on the players' bonuses and they are waiting for him to come back to them for a follow-up meeting.

'It would be undermining our union should Safa allow this to happen. I repeat once again that it will be out of line. The players should at least have come to us first before engaging or going to someone else.'