Coach of Under
23 football team at Rio Olympics Samson Siasia has made a sensational and
revealing rant at the NFF and Sports Ministry ahead of the quarter final clash
against Denmark on Saturday.
The Bayelsa
born coach made some startling revelations, saying he's been owed salary for
five months and that he and his players have been disrespected by the Nigeria
Football Federation and Sports Ministry all through out their Olympic journey.
According to
Siasia, he has begged his players to carry on playing for the country up till
this point but he is tired and that if the players decide to boycott the
quarter final match against Denmark at Rio 2016, he'll support them.
“We have been
disrespected from all angles – the sports ministry, the Nigeria Football
Federation. Is that how you will treat your own children? We are not street
kids,” former Super Eagles coach Siasia said on Brila FM Sports Radio on Friday
morning.
“We have only
been paid allowances for 11 days. There is no match bonus. What of all the
months we have been training in Nigeria and Atlanta? That’s not fair. I have
not received my salary for the past five months. Everything is upside down and
the boys don’t want to play anymore. Whatever they want to do, I’m with them.
They are right for fighting for their rights.”
Siasia
continued: “The country already has a bad image, but through football it has
got some good image, but still they won’t let us play.
“I have begged
these boys, but I cannot do more than what I have done to get this team up to
this point. I have done my best and now I am tired.”
The NFF in a
statement denied ordering the players to return their Jerseys back to the NFF's
office in Nigeria after the Olympics, but Siasia also slammed the report,
saying they were ordered to return their kits.
”The NFF
ordered that they bring back the jerseys (from Brazil). Siji Lagunju (of the
NFF technical department) was directed to bring the jerseys back to the NFF.”
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