Broke African champions slash win bonuses

African champions Nigeria will slash win bonuses as well as their coaches’ salaries because the national Football Federation (NFF) is broke, officials said. The NFF technical committee has recommended the Super Eagles’ win bonus of $10,000 be reviewed downwards along with the salaries and allowances of the various national team coaches. Officials have suggested that the win bonus will now be pegged at $5,000. The backroom staff will also be pruned to a more manageable level. The Eagles have five coaches, including three assistant coaches, and a total of 17 backroom staff.

“The (technical) committee regretted the financial situation that has also necessitated the pegging of bonuses, review of allowances and salaries of coaches of the national teams,” read an official statement from the NFF.

“Based on the parlous financial situation that the Nigeria Football Federation currently finds itself, the committee has also recommended the staff auditing of the technical crew and backroom staff of all the national teams.” Nigerian sports minister Bolaji Abdullahi has disclosed that the NFF spent at least half of their annual budget on the recent Nations Cup in South Africa and would therefore need to step up their marketing drive so as to stay afloat for the remainder of the year.

AFP