Eaglets yet to get winning bonuses, allowances

In from Nifemi Daniel . . .

Latest facts from players and officials of the victorious Golden Eaglets revealed that the team is still being owed winning bonuses and match allowances by the Nigeria Football Federation despite winning the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile.

Ripples Nigeria scooped that the players were given a paltry N20, 000 each as transport allowance when the team was decamped on Thursday with another assurance that they would be paid before the Presidential reception on November 29.
The players and officials who pleaded not to be mentioned lamented the poor treatment meted on the team.

“We are happy to have been given the opportunity to represent our country, we are also happy that we went all the way to win the tournament but I don’t think we have been treated well.

“We were assured in Chile that we will get our allowances when we return to Nigeria only for them to tell us to go home empty handed,” a player told Ripples Nigeria.

Read also: Golden Eaglets retain U-17 World Cup

Another player said: “We are champions of the world and so a lot of people at home had been expecting so much from us. I am finding it difficult to convince my people that we are yet to get anything for what we achieved.”

According an official of the team, “We cannot complain but we are dying inside. We saw what happened to Samson Siasia when he complained of not being paid, he nearly lost his job.”

The NFF has constantly come under intense criticism for its insensitivity towards the welfare of junior and women teams. This was not the first time the Golden Eaglets would suffer neglect from the NFF.

The soccer house endangered the lives of the players and officials when it forced them to travel the dangerous Sokoto – Niamey route by road for their African U-17 Championship and their preparation for the World Cup even suffered administrative hiccups.

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