The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Bonus row

  • Ejide declares: Bonus row made Eagles crash out

    Ejide declares: Bonus row made Eagles crash out

    Super Eagles reserve goal keeper at the Brazil World Cup, Austin Ejide, has given kudos to the team and its coaching crew, saying that it was painful they lost to France in the second round of the Brazil 2014 World Cup.

    Speaking with SportingLife yesterday from his base in Chicago, United States of America, Ejide said they lost not because of lack of techniques or fear of other teams but because it was the way the god of soccer wanted it.

    Ejide said the team was really prepared to get to the semi final stage at least, if not bringing the World Cup home, inspite of what he called all militating factors like none payment of players dues.

    Ejide who appeared in his 3rd World Cup for Super Eagles said that the team decided to make some of those issues public for Nigerians to know what was going on in the camp.

    The Hapoel Beersheva of Israel goalkeeper, celebrated his 4th year in marriage with his wife Chito, Son Munachi and daughter Chimamanda at Saint Margret of Scotland Chicago, last Sunday.

    According to Ejide, “We decided to open up to tell Nigerians that we were not financially well motivated as it is obtainable in Western world where players receive their dues before and after matches”

    “I believe that the team did well considering the teams they played, our coach, Stephen Keshi did a great job in keeping the team together, we should consolidate with this team”

    But he said that Keshi should equally try out new players for the national team, especially as the Nation’s Cup qualifiers draw close, adding that the country had been favoured under Keshi soccer wise.

    The safe hands reacted angrily when the issue of Eagles poor performance was thrown up, adding that the players were in spirit to make Nigerians proud, nothing that luck was not on their side.

  • Eagles’ bonus pegged at $5000

    Eagles’ bonus pegged at $5000

    A committee that probed a recent bonus row in the Super Eagles has recommended the win bonus for the team be pegged at $5,000-a-man.

    The committee, which is expected to present its findings to the country’s sports minister next week, also recommended a formal code of conduct to be signed by all players in the national team.

    “The Nigeria Football Federation is no longer in a position to pay $10,000 each for a win and that is why the committee has recommended we should revert to the status quo of $5,000 before the 2010 World Cup Presidential Task Force supplemented the bonus,” a top official informed MTNFootball.com

    A code of conduct will also be introduced to the Eagles, which will clearly spell out what is expected of both players and the NFF.

    The code of conduct is in force in countries like England and Germany and even though several national team coaches including current handler Stephen Keshi have been averse to this rule book, the committee has recommended it be enforced in the Eagles.

    “The players are expected to sign the code of conduct or else quit the team,” another official told MTNFootball.com

    In 1994, only a handful of players led by Mutiu Adepoju agreed to sign a code of conduct tabled by the NFF.

    In June, Super Eagles’ players stayed put in Namibia and refused to board a flight to the FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil until they were paid full bonuses for a win and a draw in Kenya and Namibia, respectively.

     

  • Lawal claims bonus row was sabotage

    Lawal claims bonus row was sabotage

    Former Nigeria midfielder Garba Lawal has described last month’s bonus row between the Super Eagles and the NFF as an act of sabotage by the players.

    Lawal has been named in a six-man panel set up by the Sports Ministry to probe the incident and draw up a code of conduct for the national team, but he says the players should have conducted themselves better.

    “As far as I am concerned, their refusal to travel was sabotage. They could have waited and played the competition first before taking such an action. What the players did was not against the NFF, it was against Nigeria. I don’t see anything wrong if the NFF say they don’t have money and want to make some adjustments,” Lawal told KickOffNigeria.com.

    Lawal is no stranger to crisis in the national team, having witnessed his fair share in the heydays of Nigerian football, but he said he and his teammates made sacrifices in the interest of the nation.

    “During the Nations Cup of 2000, the sports minister Damisi Sango came and told us there was no money, and we played all the games for just $2 500. And as I am talking to you now, my flight ticket of $6, 000 that I paid to take part at the Olympic Games in 1996 has still not been paid.

    “These players have to understand that they are playing for the nation. We are not playing anymore, but people remember us, not for the crisis, but because of the glory we got. We all know how the national team helps us at clubs. As a national team player, you need the national team whether you like it or not.”

    The former midfielder warned the players to think about life after their playing careers end.

    “In a few years, they will stop playing and come back home, like us. They must remember that they will come back to this country that they are now holding to ransom to look for jobs, either as coaches or something else.

    “So those who want to play should come and play, and those who don’t want to play because of money should call the coach and tell him no, and give the chance to others to play,” he added.

  • Bonus row not over – Enyeama

    Bonus row not over – Enyeama

    Super Eagles captain, Vincent Enyeama, said the row over bonuses that delayed the squad’s arrival at the Confederations Cup had not been resolved, but the players were putting it behind them.

    The African champions did not arrive in Brazil until the early hours of Sunday morning, just 36 hours before their Group B opener against minnows Tahiti on Monday, after missing the scheduled flights on Thursday, MTNFootball.com reports.

    The players were unhappy about being offered bonus payments of $2,500 (1,873 euros) following a 1-1 draw with Namibia in World Cup qualifying and had demanded double that amount from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

    A truce was eventually brokered by Sports Minister ,Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, but Enyeama has revealed that the players were still not satisfied.

    “We haven’t settled anything, but we’ve moved on and everything is normal,” the Maccabi Tel Aviv goalkeeper told journalists.

    “We accept the criticisms, we’re responsible for our actions and we stay as a team.

    “For now, this act is behind us. We’re professionals. We don’t want to talk about this — it’s about the past and we don’t want to spend our energy on these things.

    “After the championship we’ll revisit it, but for now we’re done.”

    Coach Stephen Keshi, seated beside Enyeama at the pre-game press conference, refused to criticise his players, but admitted he was concerned about the effects of their late arrival.

    “I’m not going to tell you I’m upset with the players. The decision depends on the circumstances around it,” he said.

    “We’re here, which is the most important thing. We’re here to make Africa and Nigeria proud. Whatever has happened before is behind us and we just need to concentrate and play our game.

    “I’m a bit worried about fatigue. We have been working mentally and otherwise so the team is in shape, but the fatigue is what I’m worried about. I hope everything will be OK for tomorrow (Monday).”

    Lazio midfielder Ogenyi Onazi had apparently been ruled out of the tournament with a knee injury, but Keshi said he could yet link up with the squad if he is able to prove his fitness in Nigeria.

    “I’m still waiting for a call from Onazi,” Keshi said.