Super Eagles Head Coach, Jose Peseiro, has been paid $210,000 (about N156,400,000), being three of the 10 months salary owed him by the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF.
Head coaches of other national teams like the Super Falcons, U-23 Eagles, Flying Eagles, Falconets, Golden Eaglets and the Flamingos were paid between five and seven months salaries.
Before this latest payment, Peseiro was not paid a salary since he was engaged in May 2022 by the Amaju Pinnick-led Executive Board of the NFF. The Portuguese was contracted following an assurance by the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Chief Sunday Dare, that the Federal Government will pick the bills of a foreign coach after the Austin Eguavoen-led technical crew failed to qualify Nigeria for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
NFF President, Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau, who confirmed the payment of some outstanding salaries to national team coaches told Completesports.com that the payments were made from the funds from its affiliate international bodies.
Gusau debunked an online newspaper report that Peseiro’s salary was not paid all this while because the NFF insisted on the salary being paid first into the NFF’s account before the coach can be paid.
“There is no truth in that publication because the sports ministry did not at any time ask the NFF to furnish it with Peseiro’s account details. Why will we do such? The coach is aware of the true situation and it is contrary to that report, ” Gusau explained.
“When I assumed office as President of the NFF, I demanded to see Peseiro’s contract and the approval by the Federal Government agreeing to pay the coach’s salary. But to my utter dismay, there was no approval. I was made to understand that the approval was verbal.
“This also surprised the Sports Minister who asked us to write to get the approval, this we did since last year. We are still waiting for the approval and subsequent payment of the salary of the Super Eagles’ coach.
“Whoever published that story – that the NFF refused to furnish the Ministry with Peseiro’s account details is a liar who does not mean well for football in Nigeria, ” Gusau who assumed office in September 2022 stated.
On bonuses and allowances owed to the various national teams, especially the Super Eagles, the NFF Boss said all that will be sorted out soon, adding that he has paid some allowances.
“The bills owed by the NFF are huge and we are working hard to offset them soon, ” Gusau concluded.
Source: completesports
