Sports minister Solomon Dalung has urged the Nigeria Football Federation to offset the outstanding salaries of it coaches especially Samson Siasia.
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Siasia, who also won a silver medal at the Beijing Games in 2008, said his decision was affected by unpaid wages and a lack of appreciation for his work.
However, the former Super Eagles coach, is demanding that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), pay him every dime he is owed.
He said it would be sad to lose Siasia out of frustration to another country who appreciates his worth, just like many athletes did as witnessed during the Rio Olympics.
“I am not the problem of Nigerian sports”.
It was also reported that prior to the team’s defeat by Germany in the semi-finals, a lot of them boycotted training over unpaid allowances.
Dalung was said to have been miffed by the treatment meted out to the Dream Team VI before and during the Olympic Games.
“Probe or no probe the federation will ordinarily render account of how money was spent at the games to the ministry since that is the norm here”, the source said.
“Players had to embark on a strike to be heard, then the boys kept a good spirit to win an incredible medal, only to be publicly criticised for speaking to the Japanese surgeon who supported and rewarded the team for their courageous spirit”.
In a reaction, general secretary of the NFF, Mohammed Sanusi assured the minister that they are making efforts to clear the outstanding salaries of Siasia and others soon. “Once that is concluded, we will pay them”, Sanusi said.
He lamented the fact that Siasia’s official vehicle was withdrawn while he was still in Rio, adding that it would be sad to lose him to another country who appreciates his worth.
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Moreover, Siasia recently called it quits working with the glass house and also appealed to the NFF that all he wanted was he back log of salaries paid in full. I told him on Monday that there is no way we will not need him.
