PLAYERS, OFFICIALS RAKE IN N7.5M

Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), yesterday proved its readiness to take the game to the next level when the federation enriched the pockets of each member of the home-based players with the sum of N200,000 shortly after the thrilling goalless draw with the visiting Palancas Negras of Angola in Abuja.

Daily Sunsports investigations revealed that the federation bulged the pockets of the 26 players currently in camp in Abuja with a whopping sum of N5.2 million, just as the members of the technical crew traditionally got double of the N200,000 given to each of the players.

Sources close to the Eagles' camp, who confirmed the information to Daily Sunsports on condition of anonymity, said that the federation had earlier given the sum of N20,000 excluding the summation of the N3000 daily camping allowances to the decamped players before the friendly match.

He said that while each of the players raked in a total sum of N63,000 as the totality of the 21 days daily camp allowance, the federation increased the bank account of the 26 players with amount totalling N1.638 million.

'Why are you so interested in the amount the federation paid the players and officials? What should be your major concern should be the resolve and determination of the board to take the game to the next level this year. The federation is doing everything possible to ensure that the failed football year of 2011 did not happen this year.

'However, if you insist on knowing the amount, I can only tell you that the federation paid each of the players N200,000 shortly after the game with Angola, which ended in a barren draw. I want to also tell you that the federation is paying each of the players N3000 as daily camping allowances.

'As for the coaches, you know that traditionally, the members of the technical crew get double of whatever amount the federation pays each of the players. I cannot not conveniently tell you the summation of the whole amount the federation has spent so far, you can do the summation yourself,' our source noted.

Based on this information, the Stephen Keshi-led five-member technical crew would rake in close to N630,000, while each of them would smile home with N126,000.