Bonus Dispute: APFON blasts NFF

... don't expect any magic from Super Eagles in Confed Cup

Austin Popo

The Association of Professional Footballers of Nigeria, APFON has lambasted the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF over the bonus dispute between them and the players in Windhoek, Namibia.

President of the APFON and ex-Green Eagles Player, Austin Popo who expressed his displeasure during an exclusive interview with our correspondent over the weekend at the NFF Secretariat, accused the football ruling body of responsible for the frustration many ex-international and league players are presently going through.

He disclosed that the players held the country to hostage because of the lack of confidence they have in the FA officials. He alleged that the officials were in the habit of embezzling the money meant for the players.

Popo also disclosed to our correspondent that there are so many players in the Nigeria Premier League that are being owed millions of naira but the country’s football ruling body paid deaf ears to their cries because of what they tend to benefit from the league body.

He however warned Nigerians not to expect too much from the Super Eagles who are going to engage Tahiti in the ongoing FIFA Confederation Cup in Brazil.

The APFON president noted that the bonus dispute coupled with their inability to arrive Brazil on time for their match will have negative effect on the team.

“It is a shame for the FA not to pay the boys their allowances. This is how they keep playing the boys around. These boys, at the age of 35, they will retire from active football, some of them might not even get to that age because of injuries but these administrators will be in office for more than 65 years, and yet they keep tossing these boys around. Imagine, they refused to pay these boys what belong to them and as if that was not enough, they even went as far as embarrassing us outside the country. This is a shame,” Popo concluded.