Babalola Oluwatomiwa
Social Member
Nigeria Football Federation's Technical Committee chairman, Barrister Christopher Green, has blasted the Super EAgles coach, Sunday Oliseh, for saying the football federation did not motivate his players at the ongoing African Nations Championship in Rwanda.
The Nigerian home-based Eagles crashed out of the tournament in the early stages of the tournament after losing 1-0 to Guinea, and coach Oliseh claimed his team failed because they were owed camp allowances and match bonuses by the NFF.
Green felt Oliseh betrayed the NFF for such statement, saying that Samson Siasia and Emmanuel Amunike were not even given a dime but went ahead to make Nigerians proud in their respective championships.
“I don’t think it is very fair to the NFF that Sunday Oliseh will say the team was not motivated. Of course, he sent his programme to the NFF, for him to camp in Nigeria as well as Pretoria in South Africa and that programme was executed. In South Africa, he had good matches to play, which he played,” Green told The Cable.
“These were part of the preparations for the CHAN tournament. Ordinarily, in a tournament where one will have domestic players, one would have said they should remain in the country and prepare.
“But in this case, in total obedience to the programme of the coach, they had to leave Nigeria and went to Pretoria. And so, I will not want to say that the NFF did not motivate the team.
“What about Samson Siasia’s team that played all the way to the final and won the cup without being paid their match bonuses and allowances? What about Emmanuel Amuneke that played till the final and won the World Cup in Chile without being paid?
“Also, what about the girls that went to Namibia and won? They all know that their money will be paid to them. And I can assure you that very soon, all debts will be cleared when the NFF receives its money."
“It is quite unfortunate that Oliseh will say that. I think if that kind of story is true or false, it’s not for public consumption. That’s not good management,” he continued.
“If there’s anything like that, that matter should be proper dealt inside. It is not something that should be peddled for the citizens to hear. It is like you are more or less instigating the players against their managers over unpaid debts.
“But what I can assure you is that every players that’s owed will be paid to the last kobo. We have a president that is so passionate, that is so concerned about the welfare of players, especially players of the national teams.
“ He will be working round the clock to make sure that he gets money from anywhere to settle all these debts, so that by the next time we will be talking, you will hear that all debts have been settled,” he concluded.
The technical committee will meet on Thursday evening to discuss the Eagle’ ill-fated flight in Rwanda.
The Nigerian home-based Eagles crashed out of the tournament in the early stages of the tournament after losing 1-0 to Guinea, and coach Oliseh claimed his team failed because they were owed camp allowances and match bonuses by the NFF.
Green felt Oliseh betrayed the NFF for such statement, saying that Samson Siasia and Emmanuel Amunike were not even given a dime but went ahead to make Nigerians proud in their respective championships.
“I don’t think it is very fair to the NFF that Sunday Oliseh will say the team was not motivated. Of course, he sent his programme to the NFF, for him to camp in Nigeria as well as Pretoria in South Africa and that programme was executed. In South Africa, he had good matches to play, which he played,” Green told The Cable.
“These were part of the preparations for the CHAN tournament. Ordinarily, in a tournament where one will have domestic players, one would have said they should remain in the country and prepare.
“But in this case, in total obedience to the programme of the coach, they had to leave Nigeria and went to Pretoria. And so, I will not want to say that the NFF did not motivate the team.
“What about Samson Siasia’s team that played all the way to the final and won the cup without being paid their match bonuses and allowances? What about Emmanuel Amuneke that played till the final and won the World Cup in Chile without being paid?
“Also, what about the girls that went to Namibia and won? They all know that their money will be paid to them. And I can assure you that very soon, all debts will be cleared when the NFF receives its money."
“It is quite unfortunate that Oliseh will say that. I think if that kind of story is true or false, it’s not for public consumption. That’s not good management,” he continued.
“If there’s anything like that, that matter should be proper dealt inside. It is not something that should be peddled for the citizens to hear. It is like you are more or less instigating the players against their managers over unpaid debts.
“But what I can assure you is that every players that’s owed will be paid to the last kobo. We have a president that is so passionate, that is so concerned about the welfare of players, especially players of the national teams.
“ He will be working round the clock to make sure that he gets money from anywhere to settle all these debts, so that by the next time we will be talking, you will hear that all debts have been settled,” he concluded.
The technical committee will meet on Thursday evening to discuss the Eagle’ ill-fated flight in Rwanda.
