Players are set for a showdown against NFF over outstanding allowances
By Ed Emeanua
Super Eagles players have warned of hell to pay should the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) again decide against meeting their demand to be paid outstanding allowances before their first AFCON 2023 match.
The players promise the football federation and the country some major embarrassment during the tournament should the body fail to fulfill the promise to clear all lingering allowances before the team’s first game in Cote d’Ivoire.
The African Cup of Nations (AFCON) is billed for five cities, spread over six stadiums in Cote d’Ivoire from January 13 through February 11. Nigeria is expected to begin Group A qualifying play against Equatorial Guinea at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan, on January 14 at 14:00 local time.
Twenty-four Super Eagles players are currently in training camp in the United Arab Emirates before the start of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
The Federal Government of Nigeria has allocated the sum of $1.3M in funding for the Super Eagles’ AFCON 2023 Campaign in a significant gesture to motivate Nigeria’s national football team.
The approval of the government’s financial boost is a calculated backing to confirm the team’s best grooming, endeavor, and result in the continent’s most followed football championship.
The allocated funds are targeted toward the team’s AFCON push, encompassing coordination, preparational facilities, player participatory compensations, and general administration of the team.
The communication of the officially approved funding represents a concerted engagement to enable the Super Eagles to give their best performance to the country during the event.
In a similar attempt to spur the Super Eagles to success at AFCON 2023, NFF has already announced the approval of a bonus arrangement that involves an induced payment of $5,000 for each win at the group phase of the event.
The NFF says their reliance on a graded bonus plan depends on further appraisals during the championship, showcasing the Football Federation’s adaptability to rejig remunerations depending on the team’s total performance.
Sources close to the players reveal they are unfazed over the vociferous claims from Stewards of the NFF to adequately motivate the team monetarily to ensure a successful outing during AFCON 2023.
One of the sources claims the Federation made similar promises to the players two years ago in Cameroon ahead of the 2021 Nations Cup, only to disappoint the players in the end.
“Remember that the NFF also made the same promises before the 2022 final World Cup qualifiers with Ghana, before the start of the 2023 Nations Cup qualifiers, and the ongoing 2026 World Cup qualifiers, but they have not been able to keep any of these promises,” our source stated.
“On each occasion, the NFF also received approved budgets from the Federal Government but failed to pay the players their dues. The players are now used to empty words from the NFF and are not ready to be fooled by them again.”
Another source added: “The players feel that the NFF is treating them like kids that they could appease by handing them a football to go out and play with instead of listening to and meeting their demands.
“The players feel embarrassed by the NFF treatment and are ready to embarrass them in return. They are serious this time and will no longer settle for these empty vibes from the NFF.”
“We are talking about these grown men; most of the Super Eagles players, if not all, have children of their own.
“To continue treating them as shabbily as the NFF has done for years is a national disgrace. We are talking of over 26 accrued match bonuses and unpaid allowances dating back years.
“Are we going to say that if these players are the children of these people running our football, they would treat them the same way?
“The members of the NFF will not tell us that they are running the Federation without getting paid one way or the other. If that be the case, let them quit en mass so that others that can run the body progressively can come onboard.”
