By Staff Reporter
The highest-paid coach in the Namibia Premier Football League (NPFL) is believed to earn around N$35 000 or more per month, depending on performance and winning bonuses, while coaches at the lower end of the league are reportedly earning around N$10,000 per month.
This is according to current and former NPFL coaches who spoke to Confidente on condition of anonymity due to confidentiality concerns, saying that disclosing their salaries could jeopardise their coaching jobs.
Confidente has, however, established that some coaches have earned as little as N$7,000 per month, indicating that salaries vary considerably between clubs.
Some coaches are also reportedly paid in portions, receiving different amounts from one month to another because of financial constraints and differences in clubs’ financial resources.
The figures suggest that while N$10,000 to N$35,000 represents the commonly reported monthly salary range for NPFL coaches, individual coaches may earn below or above that range.
Performance and winning bonuses can also increase the total earnings of coaches at the top end.
The highest-paid coaches are usually those who hold Confederation of African Football (CAF) Diploma coaching badges, while CAF B holders are generally the second-highest paid.
Namibia Football Association (NFA) C Licence holders and those with NFA introductory coaching badges are among the lower earners, as coaches with such qualifications mostly work in the lower divisions, including the First, Second and Third Divisions.
Many of them are volunteer coaches, although a few earn better salaries depending on their clubs’ financial strength.
Football in the country is still at a crawling stage, as clubs heavily rely on hand-to-mouth finances, unlike leagues in neighbouring countries such as Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Angola and South Africa, which are better funded by the corporate world, including clubs.
In the NPFL, clubs heavily depend on monthly or quarterly financial support from the league sponsor, with the money going towards players’ and coaches’ salaries.
Only a few clubs have significant additional sources of financial support.
“In Namibia we do not have a standard, structured payment for coaches. It just depends on how you (coach) negotiate yourself with the team. The highest-paid coach may earn N$35,000 and above, while the highest-paid coach in the First Division is N$15 000 per month and N$5 000 in the Second Division. This all depends on the financial muscle of that club, but that is only when you negotiate well,” said one former NPFL coach.
A former foreign coach in the NPFL, now coaching at another foreign club, said coaches’ salaries depend largely on the financial power of individual clubs.
“Salaries obviously depend on a certain team, just like here where I am now coaching,” said the former foreign coach.
A former football administrator at one top NPFL club also placed the typical salary range at between N$10,000 and N$35,000 per month.
“Coaches earn between N$10,000 to N$35,000, and most coaches negotiate a fixed salary which includes the technical team,” said the former administrator.
A former assistant coach at an NPFL club said he previously earned N$7,000 per month, while suggesting that top coaches can earn more once performance-related bonuses are included.
“I used to earn N$7,000 per month. The highest-paid coach should be more than N$35,000 per month if winning bonuses or performance bonuses are added,” said the former assistant coach.
