Bonus row: NFF, Eagles sign agreement ahead Russia 2018

By Amaechi Agbo

In an apparent move to forestall any bonus row in the Super Eagles camp ahead of the Russia 2018 World Cup, the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF and the Super Eagles players have signed an agreement aimed at preventing the recurrence of bonus misunderstanding as witnesys in Brazil 2014 World Cup.
Thr agreement, it is understood, will eliminate all manner of rancour and distractions around Nigeria’s preparation and participation at the 21st FIFA World Cup finals in Russia.
The agreesment was signed in the Russian city of Krasnodar on Tuesday morning after the Eagles beat Argentina 2-4 in an international friendly.
NFF President Amaju Pinnick, Vice Presidents Seyi Akinwunmi and Shehu Dikko, General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi and Technical and Development Committee chairman Yusuf Ahmed Fresh represented the NFF, while Technical Adviser Gernot Rohr, Chief Coach Salisu Yusuf, Team Administrator Enebi Achor and Captain Mikel John Obi, Ahmed Musa, Kenneth Omeruo and William Ekong stood stood in for the team.
Prior to the meeting, Pinnick, who made an impressive remark at the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour that made a stop in Krasnodar on Tuesday, told thenff.com that the NFF was determined to put behind it all the crises and confrontations that had bedevilled African teams’ participation at the FIFA World Cup in the past.
NFF 2nd Vice President/Chairman of Strategic Committee, Shehu Dikko confirmed the agreement: “We have done it; we have concluded negotiations and come to agreement with the team as regards bonuses, allowances and share of income from FIFA for the 2018 World Cup. Every detail has been agreed on match bonus for each match and each round up to the Final as well as share of income from FIFA money for each round until the stage we are able to get to at the finals.
“We also agreed on preparation, such as how much players will be paid for the friendly matches, including how and when the monies would be paid. We even delved into how the NFF would apply the funds due to it from FIFA after paying the players their share.”
Pinnick and Sanusi signed for the NFF while Gernot Rohr and Salisu Yusuf signed for the technical crew and Captain Mikel Obi and Ahmed Musa signed for the players.
“The agreement represents the full and final understanding between the NFF and the team for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia and not subject to review or negotiations, except there is a review by FIFA of what it has approved and published as prize money for the participating countries.
“We have opted for this international best practice in order to fully motivate the team and ensure there are no distractions or discontent before and during the tournament,” Dikko added.
This is the first time in the history of Nigeria’s participation in international championships that a formal agreement between the Federation and the team is documented.
Stakeholders in football see this as a catalyst for the Super Eagles’ best performance ever at the FIFA World Cup. It can also be recalled that the NFF ensured there was no distraction over bonuses and allowances for the team during the qualifying campaign, with the Super Eagles easily dominating a so –called ‘Group of Death.’
“We are very happy and excited with this development. This is the first time since I started playing for the senior team that I would see everything regarding preparation and bonuses and allowances put down in black and white and a binding agreement executed. It is reassuring that we now have a Federation leadership so committed to making everything work that they arranged this meeting and allowed the players to contribute and then set out to sign the agreement,” Captain Mikel Obi said.
It would be recalled that at the last FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil, the Super Eagles missed a training session in protest over bonuses and allowances and share of the income from FIFA, forcing the Federal Government to dispatch then Sports Minister Tammy Danagogo to Brazil with millions of dollars in cash.
A similar situation played out in the camp of Ghana’s Black Stars, and back in 2006, the camp of the Togolese National Team was torn by disputes over bonuses and allowances as well as that of Cameroon in 2014. Issues that made Arsenal coach, Arsene Wendger to declare that “the problem with African football is administrative.”
After signing tye document, the NFF President, Amaju Pinnick said: “We communicated the Honourable Minister of Sports on the negotiations and he endorsed the agreement on behalf of the Government. He also applauded the NFF for the bold step to sort out all issues that could militate against Nigeria having a great outing at the World Cup finals in Russia next year.”