Almost a fee-nix deal for World Cup campaign

By STEVE KILGALLON and GREG FORD - Sunday Star Times
Last updated 05:00 16/05/2010

England coach Fabio Capello earns more in two days than Ricki Herbert does in a year from his national duties.

While the Italian master coach can expect to collect around $12 million (including bonuses) for guiding England's World Cup campaign this year, his All Whites counterpart earns a "little bit more than" $50,000 a year for the national job.

And although he's on a much more substantial fulltime deal with the Wellington Phoenix, that still makes Herbert the World Cup's cut-price coach. Herbert did not want to comment when approached by the Sunday Star-Times and sources have confirmed he has taken a relaxed approach to the matter.

But it is now starting to raise some eyebrows.

Former All Whites striker Billy Harris said: "If the numbers are accurate it is unfair, given what the players earn."

Some All Whites are in line for a healthy pay day as a result of qualifying and playing in the Cup. The players who have made the most appearances could pocket about $350,000.

One Spanish newspaper laughably estimated Herbert's salary at $1.55m, 12th-best of the 32 national coaches at the tournament.

But technically, he's actually paid nothing by New Zealand Football.

Instead, NZ Football have a "sub-licence" contract with Century City – the company which owns Wellington Phoenix – to borrow Herbert's services. Phoenix owner Terry Serepisos negotiated the deal "several years ago" with Football New Zealand, well before the All Whites qualified for the World Cup.

In return for the tiny fee, the Phoenix release Herbert for national duties, although they refused to give him time off to travel to the World Cup draw earlier this year.

New Zealand Football boss Michael Glading disputed the $50,000 figure, saying: "It's total news to me. I don't know where the hell they get that from. We pay the Phoenix for a variety of things. How the Phoenix cut the cake from the money we give to them is entirely over to them. Who on earth came up with a $50k figure I wouldn't have a clue."

But when pressed on the amount, Phoenix chief executive Tony Pignata said: "No [it's not $50,000]. I am not going to confirm or deny the amount but, you are close, it is only a little bit more than $50,000. It was an amount that was agreed many years ago and, at the time, it was an amount [Serepisos] and the NZ board were happy with."

That deal expires after the World Cup and is up for renegotiation – everything is. NZ Football plan a full review, no matter how the All Whites fare in the tournament, and will sit down with Herbert for a full discussion. It's then a board decision whether to offer him a fresh contract to coach the national side.


http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/sport/football/3702759/Almost-a-fee-nix-deal-for-World-Cup-campaign