NFF cuts Eagles bonus, coaches salaries

Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi

The Nigeria Football Federation has taken a very significant step to curtail overhead cost in the administration of football in the country. The Technical and Development Committee of the federation, which met in Abuja on Tuesday, recommended for immediate implementation, a list of decisions that would substantively cut down the cost of prosecuting games involving the national teams.

One of the major decisions is the review of the salaries of all the national team coaches, including that of Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi. Even though he has a contract still running, The PUNCH learnt that every coach in the employment of the federation would be affected as soon as the implementation begins.

The General Secretary of the NFF, Mr. Musa Amadu, told our correspondent on Tuesday that the federation was simply facing the reality on ground.

He said, “If you take just a simple look at the period around June and the cost implication for the country, for instance, you will understand that the measures being taken have become very necessary. We cannot continue like this; there has to be sensible auditing.”

The NFF added that based on the poor financial situation, the committee has also recommended the staff auditing of the technical crew and backroom staff of all the national teams. This move will see the national team coaches being cut down to maximum of two assistants and a goalkeeper trainer. The Eagles have three assistant coaches plus a goalkeeper trainer. The other backroom staffers are to be cut down too.

The players themselves were not spared in the latest decision. Their win bonus, which was raised to $10,000 some years ago has been cut down to $5,000. The bonus became an issue after the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa as the NFF could not pay the final game bonus after it was nearly doubled from the pre-tournament rate.

“The Committee regrets the financial situation that has also necessitated the pegging of bonuses, review of allowances and salaries of coaches of the national teams,” the committee communiqué read.

The committee also considered the employment of coaches for positions of Technical Director of the NFF and the coaching staff of the U-23 national team but no names were listed.

The committee also deliberated on the war of words between Keshi and his players and assured that peace would reign before the country embarks on the series of matches for the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, as well as the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup.