BIDVEST WITS
Talk of disparities in the disbursement of bonuses following their Absa Premiership triumph last season is the reason behind Bidvest Wits' horrendous start to the 2017/18 campaign.
The Sunday Times has learnt that the inequitable distribution of bonuses has brought about a discord and disharmony in the reigning champions' camp.
Several sources, who spoke on condition on anonymity, have revealed that they have caught on corridor talk that "certain players got a bigger cut" of the bonus cake and the situation has caused stresses and strains.
One source said "there is a structure for bonuses, no one is going to tell us who got what. But we've heard from the way people talk that they are not being honest."Another insider said: "The bonus structure is based on, among other things, how many games you've played.
"Some people were out injured but they got more money than others. No one is mentioning figures. But we know for a fact that things were not done equally and openly. It's causing distrust among us."
A third source said it was difficult to keep the lid on the boiling matter. "It is obvious that there are issues. We're trying to keep them in-house. But even people from outside can see that there is a change in the team.
"At the end of the day, as players we can see what is happening. We have feelings, we are human beings."
The stresses and strains at The Students have been apparent in midfield. By way of example, Thabang Morare and Xola Mlambo were the engine enforcers last season.
The double Ms Bull Terrier-like industry provided a pivotal protective wall for the rearguard that was the second less breached last term.
"The players who are playing are not the same as the ones we had last season. No one can tell the coach who to play. A man of his experience should be able to see something isn't working. The truth is that we can't become a bad team overnight."
STATS DON'T LIE
The cold truth is that Gavin Hunt's Wits are out of their wits and the statistics do not lie.
• In six matches, The Students have shipped in 11 goals - that's half the 22 they conceded in 30 matches en route to being crowned 2016/17 premiership champions;
• They have already lost four matches, two less than the six suffered in 30 matches in the previous campaign;• They have only collected a paltry five points from a possible 21 with a solitary victory to their name; and
• They've already failed in their defence of the MTN8 Cup after crashing out to Cape Town City in the semifinals. After they were booted out by The Citizens, veteran goalkeeper Moneeb Josephs chastised his teammates for not pulling their weight in an emotional post-match interview.
"This game has been wonderful to us, so why don't we give back to it by putting in good performances week in and week out?" the 37-year-old asked. "We are lacking that, and that is where the disappointment comes for me. We won the league and we should be even hungrier but we are not there."
The tears he shed in that interview with presenter Robert Marawa were in vain as the Clever Boys have gone from bad to worse.
For the picture not to get uglier, Wits must turn the tide starting today against the high-riding Baroka FC at Peter Mokaba Stadium.
BAROKA FC
For a Premier Soccer League club with the highest-paid player getting R200,000 and the lowest taking home R50,000 and spending about R5-million a month on salaries, Baroka FC are seen as punching way above their weight to be on top of the Absa Premiership log after eight starts.
Baroka chairman Khurishi Mphahlele revealed recently that a R5-million wage bill was enough to keep his club going. For now, it would seem Mphahlele's purse is doing wonders judging by the results.
But football pundits and fans alike are asking what has really led to the dramatic change of fortunes for the Limpopo club that narrowly escaped relegation last season.
Striker Gift Motupa, on loan from Orlando Pirates, is one of 13 players recruited by Baroka during the off-season and credited with changing the fortunes of Bakgaga.
Motupa's four league goals, including a beauty he scored against stuttering Kaizer Chiefs in their 2-1 win in Durban three weeks ago, have contributed immensely in propelling Baroka to their fairytale position.Lewis Macha, the Zambian striker who was deemed surplus to requirements at Chiefs, has also chipped in with two vital goals, one of them coming against his former club Amakhosi in Durban.
"It's a great feeling to be where we are," said Motupa. "For us it's so important to be collecting as many points at this time of the season because you never know how tough it will be in the second round."
Motupa revealed that when he was loaned from Pirates where he had limited game time last season, he knew he had a chance to do well at Baroka.
"To be honest with you I had a belief, and I am the one who chose to come back to Baroka," he said.
RELEGATION FIGHT UNDESIRABLE
"I did believe I would get game time because I basically know the culture of this club, having started my career here.
"It is also helping to have coaches and teammates who believe in my talent."
Motupa, who represented the South Africa Under-23 side at the Olympic Games in Brazil last year, said as a club they haven't set a target on where they want to finish, but would be happy to finish inside the top eight come May.
"We don't want to be caught in a relegation quagmire again. Everyone is fighting to make sure we don't find ourselves in the position we were in last season," said Motupa, who will be looking to add to his goal tally against struggling reigning champions Bidvest Wits at Peter Mokaba Stadium today."Wits will be tough because they are in a desperate situation having not started well this season. But for us it will be business as usual," he added.
The 23-year-old Motupa, who was born in Ga-Chuene in Limpopo, said being with a club that is closer to home helped but that it was not really the only reason behind his change of form this season.
"It's not about the environment but it's about how determined you are to make a difference as a player on the field. With the assistance I'm getting from everyone at the club, I'm able to play my normal game."
Kickoff is at 3.30pm.
bbk@sundaytimes.co.za and  hadebes@sundaytimes.co.za..