Ex-Chiefs American Player Explains Why Chilean Maestro Opts For Sundowns
Uruguayan club Montevideo City Torque recently confirmed that their Chilean star midfielder Marcelo Allende will be joining Mamelodi Sundowns. As per Chilean top publications, Sundowns are believed to have paid a whopping transfer fee of R51 million for a Chile international.
Legends and fans in his home country are said to be angry with the player as they feel that he should have waited for European offers or go for top South American leagues like Brazilian Serie A and Argentina league.
As per Pio Nogueira who played for Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates in the olden days says the move to SA is considered a step back as the country is low-ranked by FIFA.
“Firstly, in my view this player is not good enough to play in Europe and secondly in my view the money is good at Sundowns so why not,” Pio Nogueira tells KickOff from Brazil.
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“I think this player will get more than 10 times what he was earning in Uruguay where players at his club earn an average of USD 5000 (approx. R84 000) and never more than USD 10 000 (approx. R168000).
“Remember the Motsepe’s pay very well and in football if the money is good enough then you go anywhere which is why some guys go and play in the middle of a desert in the Middle East.
“In the view of South American people coming to South Africa is a step backwards because this is a country with a bad ranking in the FIFA standings and only better than Bolivia in South America.
“I’m sorry to say this but this boy will never play for the Chilean national team again. He has decided to sort out his future by going for money from the options that he had available rather than waiting for money that is not guaranteed in Europe.
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“To South Americans it would have made sense to go to Argentina or here in Brazil where the top earners get USD 300 000 or Argentina if he is not going to Europe but then the better money available for him was in South Africa.
“Let the guy secure his future while people in Chile make noise. Football is now a business, and this was a business transaction that had all parties agreeing.
“The other South Americans at Sundowns are also earning crazy money and in a football career you run for the money and forget about the rest,” says Nogueira.
