NFF Boss, Pinnick, Debunks Players’ Unrest over Match Bonuses

By Femi Solaja

Ahead of tomorrow’s first of the international friendlies with Indomitable Lions of Cameroon in Austria, President of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, has debunked the news making the round that most of the players that have stayed away from the two games scheduled for June 4 and 8 are doing so in protests over the non-payment of their outstanding match bonuses.

Last week, a wire service reported that the players have not been paid for the six matches they played at the last AFCON 2019 tournament in Egypt where Nigeria won the third placed bronze. It also said that match bonuses for the last two qualifying matches for AFCON 2022 tournament in Cameroon have not been settled to warrant some of the key players to feign injuries.

But speaking on ARISE TV’s ‘The Morning Show’ yesterday, Pinnick, insisted that the players were aware of the problems the NFF was facing due largely to the Covid-19 pandemic which has made their sponsors inability to meet up with their obligations to the federation.

“Since the beginning of this present administration, we have cut down a lot of expenses to give all our players and coaches a sense of belonging and owing salaries has been a thing of the past more so payment is now tied to corporate organisation and this alone has taken huge responsibility off the NFF and the government by extension.

“But when the pandemic came, it changed a lot of things and as we had to come to reality of how we navigate the curved end. Our sponsors could not pay as agreed, which necessitates renegotiating. All these we explained to the players and the coaches.

Today, things are getting better and same with the players bonuses.

Pinnick however stressed that national team players don’t live on bonuses they get while on national duty.

“First we have to understand the fact that no national team player survives on national team bonuses because they earn their living playing week in week out playing for their respective clubs.

“However, playing for the national team is a platform that enables them to flourish in their career and this we have provided for them in the couple of years before now,” he explained.

He said the players understand the situation with the FA.

“Since coming on board six years ago, we took the matter of the comfort of our national team players seriously. We offered them the best travels by chartered flights and staying in high-class hotels just for their comfort. So I do not believe any of the players stayed away in protest over any outstanding match bonuses.

Pinnick was emphatic that the NFF will only pay for five matches with the 4-4 home draw against Sierra Leone in Benin City late last year has been forfeited.

“We don’t pay for mediocrity with the 4-4 result against Sierra Leone at home in Benin City. The last time I was talking with my counterpart from Morocco, he said the moment you are playing a team lower in ranking, the same match-bonus doesn’t apply,

“Although it was a casual discussion, there are lots of take away from there. We are looking forward to payments of qualifying bonuses at the end of the series which to me will save the federation a lot of money.

“The relationship with the players is cordial as they see us like senior brother and even their parents going by how we relate with them all the time.

“We know its statutory for the players to earn their pay but we need to have an understanding as well. We want to take a cue from England FA that pays the players at the end of a series instead of regular payments.

On injured Samuel Chukwueze who was operated upon just yesterday, the NFF Chief said he was constantly in touch with the FC Villarreal player.

“I am in touch with Samuel Chukwueze. We spoke yesterday after the successful operation. He is said missing this double header against Cameroon. The same thing applies to the other injured players