Super Eagles threaten to embark on strike over 18 months of unpaid salaries
Nigeria’s male soccer team, The Super Eagles are threatening to embark on an indefinite strike by boycotting forthcoming national team engagements as they lament over 18 months of unpaid salaries and allowances. Reports have it that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is making frantic efforts at getting funds from government and sponsors to clear the backlog of bonuses and allowances.
It was gathered that members of the squad had planned to protest the poor treatment meted out on them before the reverse fixture against Sierra Leone. The idea could not materialize due to their 4-4 draw with the Leone Stars at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin, a result which left many fans stunned that the Gernot Rohr-led team embarrassed the nation by letting a four-goal lead slip.
In an anonymous chat with BBC Sport Africa and cited in Complete Sports, a player stated that Nigerians will blame the squad if they go on strike, saying they are being owed.
He said:
Our initial plan was to address it before the game in Sierra Leone but we all saw what happened. I don’t think they (NFF officials) can keep quiet if they’re unpaid by their bosses. They’re quick to blame the players for defeats but happy to celebrate the success of the team. If the players go on strike they blame us for being money hungry and selfish yet this is money they owe us. There are (training) camp allowances and match bonuses not paid to us and the technical crew since July 2019 and that’s not good
