Relegated Marumo Gallants count costs of historic CAF Confederation Cup

Gallants suffered demotion to the Motsepe Foundation Championship following a 2-0 loss to Swallows FC in the league at the weekend. 

However, they made history just a fortnight prior by reaching the Confederation Cup semi-finals, where they were eliminated by Tanzanian giants Young Africans following a 4-1 aggregate defeat.

While Bahlabane Ba Ntwa are expected to get in the region of R14.5-million for reaching the last-four stage of the second-tier continental competition, with a little extra also coming from TV rights revenue at a later stage, Sello has detailed how financially draining it was to contest on the continental front.

"[It cost] in the region of between 12 and 18 million Rand. Because countries differ, and somewhere, when they see 'South African', they think, 'Ok, we've got the big country here now, they must just fit the bill,'" noted the chairman.

"I think that's where you media, you only talk about the lucrative story but, you forget that behind that there is a mastermind. And remember, nobody gives you money in advance to say, 'Go and do that [compete on the continent].'

"You have to make sure you fulfill the fixtures and make sure you perform, with your own little bit [of money] that has been given to you [the Premier Soccer League grant].

"And then this one [R14.5-million payment] will come 60-80 days later, or it may not come due to some faults that you've made before... the hardest month was that Ramadan month when we all had to become Ramadanians [sic].

"But, well, we are into football and we accept each and every challenge, and we take it on a positive note. Everybody supported us when we went through that, but we'll grow through it."