ASUNCION, Dec 16 (Reuters) - South American champions Olimpia said on Monday they would not offer a pay rise to coach Nery Pumpido, who led the Paraguayan club to their third Libertadores Cup title in July only six months after taking charge.
'Pumpido is planning to be paid more than he was this season
and that's impossible,' club president Osvaldo Dominguez Dibb
told reporters. 'Everyone in Paraguay is suffering with the
dollar and Olimpia cannot avoid this reality.'
Pumpido, goalkeeper in Argentina's victorious 1986 World Cup
team, went back to his homeland last week, angry because he had
not had a chance to negotiate a new contract with Dominguez
Dibb.
Olimpia's president is hoping to run as the Colorado Party
candidate in Paraguay's presidential elections next April but
first has to win his party's internal elections which are due to
be held on December 22.
Players said that the president has been absent from the
club for long periods as he campaigns in the provinces. Olimpia
also have to discuss the future of 15 players, whose contracts
finish this month.
'I explained to Pumpido that we could not increase his wages
now unless we can negotiate a good transfer (of an Olimpia
player),' Dominguez Dibb said.
'Pumpido said he would give me an answer and we will speak
again after the Colorado Party elections.
'I understand his wish. He's a coach
who is champion of America and that makes him expensive, but we
cannot pay what is not within our reach. The idea for 2003 is to
reduce costs.'
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