Both the Super Eagles and the Super Falcons are set for a massive showdown with the NFF over their allowances and bonuses, SCORENigeria can report today.
This is coming on the wake of the failure of the NFF despite many promises to pay off the Flying Eagles more than a week after their return from the U20 World Cup in Poland.
The Nigeria U20s are still checked into an Abuja hotel waiting to be paid with the players vowing not to quit the hotel until that has been done.
Their protest caused them to miss their original flight back to Nigeria after they exited the U20 World Cup.
The Falcons face hosts France in a crucial Group A clash on Tuesday night in Rennes and have demanded that they get the $4,000-a-player bonus for the 2-0 win over Korea Republic as well as their training camp allowances before they will take to the pitch again.
“Going by the hell the Flying Eagles are still going through to get their money, we do not want to take any chances in our own case and that is why we have told the NFF we want our money now and here,” one of the Europe-based Falcons stars told SCORENigeria on condition of anonymity.
The money problem already forced a top NFF official who was with the African champions in training camp in Austria to head back to Nigeria rather than go with the team to France.
Two years ago, they staged a highly-publicised pay strike in Abuja before they were paid for winning the 2016 AWCON in Cameroon.
The Super Eagles are also spoiling for a showdown with the big bosses and a players’ meeting has been scheduled for Monday in Egypt over their bonuses and allowances.
They are on a win-bonus of $5,000-a-man in the first round of the AFCON, which kicks off on Friday in Cairo.
This past week, former sports minister Solomon Dalung made a staggering revelation that the NFF failed to include the 2019 AFCON in their budget presentation to the Federal Government.
The implication of this is that thus far their expenses in Egypt have not got the approval of government.
