Pablo
14/05/2002, 12:27 PM
From Sunday Times
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by Sue Denham: Let’s hope Cameroon don’t get too drunk on World Cup success
You’d think Guinness would be supporting the Irish team in the World Cup, what with all the beer they’ll sell to thirsty Irish fans over there in the next few weeks.
Instead, the brewers announced last week they were offering incentives to the Cameroon players for good performances in Japan and Korea. And Cameroon, lest you need reminding, are our deadly rivals in the qualifying group.
Speaking at a press conference in Yaounde last week, Brian Johnson, a Guinness official, said that the sponsorship — beer money? — on offer to Cameroonian players ranged from £1,000 to £15,000 sterling. They’ve already been paid £5,000 each just for qualifying.
The best player in each of Cameroon’s games (including the one against Ireland) will earn £1,000 from Guinness, while the team will get £5,000 a man for progressing beyond the first round.
It goes up to £10,000 if they reach the semi-finals and £15,000 if they make it to the final. Guinness gave similar payouts to Cameroon at the Sydney Olympics and in the African Nations Cup this year.
This would be a bad omen: Cameroon won both competitions. Guinness Africa is also offering $1m to any African team that qualifies for the World Cup final.
Confronted by Sue, a Guinness spokesman in Dublin, said: “Our ideal scenario would be for Ireland to get to the final against an African team.”
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by Sue Denham: Let’s hope Cameroon don’t get too drunk on World Cup success
You’d think Guinness would be supporting the Irish team in the World Cup, what with all the beer they’ll sell to thirsty Irish fans over there in the next few weeks.
Instead, the brewers announced last week they were offering incentives to the Cameroon players for good performances in Japan and Korea. And Cameroon, lest you need reminding, are our deadly rivals in the qualifying group.
Speaking at a press conference in Yaounde last week, Brian Johnson, a Guinness official, said that the sponsorship — beer money? — on offer to Cameroonian players ranged from £1,000 to £15,000 sterling. They’ve already been paid £5,000 each just for qualifying.
The best player in each of Cameroon’s games (including the one against Ireland) will earn £1,000 from Guinness, while the team will get £5,000 a man for progressing beyond the first round.
It goes up to £10,000 if they reach the semi-finals and £15,000 if they make it to the final. Guinness gave similar payouts to Cameroon at the Sydney Olympics and in the African Nations Cup this year.
This would be a bad omen: Cameroon won both competitions. Guinness Africa is also offering $1m to any African team that qualifies for the World Cup final.
Confronted by Sue, a Guinness spokesman in Dublin, said: “Our ideal scenario would be for Ireland to get to the final against an African team.”