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SABC Sport has established that Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis has been offered a new contract by the South African Football Association, but the two parties are yet to agree on the finer details going forward.
Ellis has just returned from the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, where Banyana finished fourth, and will be expected to provide a report to the National Executive Committee within the coming days.
The public broadcaster has been informed, however, that the contents of that report will not decide whether she stays in the job or not.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, one NEC member said the 62-year-old will remain in the job unless she’s the one who wants to walk away.
“Unless she has an offer somewhere [else], that will be the point of departure. But presently she will be our coach, and we know she has done well," said the source.
"And, as for the team, it’s doing well under her guide. So there’s no problem from our side, and we have agreed with her in principle. We just have to finalise some other issues.
"Once we sit down with her we will agree, and after that is when we will disclose that this is how many years because the ball is in her court.
"She has done well for the country and the country wants her. The offer comes from SAFA and she did not give us a hint that she wants to leave or anything and we told her that we still need her."
Pressed on what the issue are that still need to be finalised, the source revealed the remuneration figures have had to be reviewed a few times, but everything could not be finalised before the coach departed for the defence of their WAFCON title.
“Remember in terms of the code of good practice, when you have a contract with me and that contract gives me 20 cents and I want to extend or renew, do you really think I would want the same contract?
"The answer would obviously be no, because you’ll always make sure that the evaluation of work goes with what you’ve achieved.
"Obviously when you discuss you must be wary that the person will want an improved contract. That’s a fact. If it was the same contract we wouldn’t have negotiated,” the source said.
The former Banyana skipper was appointed on a full-time basis in 2018, after acting as interim for two years after assisting Vera Pauw, and led the team to the 2018 WAFCON final and their maiden continental title in 2022 as well as two FIFA Women's World Cups.
