Glasgow Rangers of Scotland defender, Leon Aderemi Balogun’s scathing remarks about a cumulative total of 18 months’ allowances being owed players in the Super Eagles has forced Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) into a hasty yet humbling confession over the matter, megasportsarena.com reports.
Rather than deny Balogun’s allegations or play hard ball over the matter, NFF secretary-general, Dr Sanusi Mohammed has opted to be truthful and apologetic, but scolded Balogun for going public and alluded to some exaggerations on the part of the defender.
The NFF scribe added that the Eagles’ players, coaches and staff should remain patient over the matter, as he disclosed that the football governing body is working hard to ensure they finally fulfill payment of all outstanding bonuses, allowances and salaries of the team.
He added that challenges and disruptions caused by the global coronavirus pandemic are still being felt by government institutions and businesses the world over, hence the need of the players to be considerate wih the NFF and no one should pretend that these are normal times.
Sanusi pontificated: “The NFF deserves no joy in owing players and coaches their entitlements. The same players and coaches have been well-taken-care of and provided the necessary facilities when things were normal.
“And, as we work assiduously towards conquering the present challenges and seeing sunlight again, we expect the players, coaches and administrative staff to show the same level of understanding that they have been showing over the past 18 months.
“Of course, we are pragmatists and we realize that these things can be frustrating and some people will boil over and talk about them. It is normal. Last month, during the friendlies in Austria, we were able to pay some of the outstanding bonuses and allowances.
“We are working at a pace presently to clear what is remaining. As I speak, we are owing the team bonuses and allowances from only the last two matches, and payments for these two games have been sent to the Central Bank some weeks ago.
“They will receive the monies shortly. We are equally working to pay the coaches what they are being owed as salaries. We have never denied owing the team.
“Leon is a senior player that everyone respects for his quality output on the pitch and calmness and forbearance off it, but I do not know which reports he was referring to when he said the NFF was contradicting itself.
