Dosu Joseph Urges NFF To Reconsider 'No Bonus, No Allowance' Decision For Age-grade National Teams

Dosu Joseph Urges NFF To Reconsider 'No Bonus, No Allowance' Decision For Age-grade National Teams

By Niyi Busari

Former Super Eagles goalkeeper, Dosu Joseph has persuaded the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to rescind the decision of no bonus and allowances for all the age-grade national teams, BSNSports.com.ng can report.

The 1996 Olympic Gold medalist solicited that the young players will need money for their upkeeps.

In an exclusive interview with BSN Sports, he said, "Well, it depends on what they (NFF) wants because I believe those boys deserve one or two things too, if they are in camp and no bonus, no allowance, how will they wash their clothes? Where will they get money to buy tooth paste and brush? The former Julius Berger goalkeeper asked rhetorically.

"They need money to take care of themselves everyday they spend while in camp and not when they qualify for competition alone. Even eating breakfast, lunch and dinner, they may need money to buy biscuits and so on.

He urged the NFF to change their mind and reconsider paying bonus and allowances to the under-age national teams' players.

"I don't think it's a final say, they (NFF) can still change their mind, may be he (Amaju Pinnick) said it when there was pressure .

"The boys need something to cater for themselves not when they get to world cup before they start getting bonuses and allowances, what if they didn't win the tournament? What happen? I think the federation still need to sit and change their decisions.

NFF president, Amaju Pinnick on Monday 1st June, told journalists who participated in a media chat that there will be no bonus and allowances for the under-age national teams.

"We are looking to still keep the age-grade teams in business, despite priority being given to the Super Eagles and the Super Falcons. But there will be conditions. They will earn no match bonus or camp allowances and we will only be able to take on board the minimum technical and backroom staff as specified by FIFA and CAF. However, if any of the team goes ahead and win the World Cup, or performs well enough at the World Cup to earn appearance fee, that money will be shared by the entire team. The NFF will have no part of it. That will be the boon for them, the incentive to perform."

The Nigeria age-grade teams includes; the Golden Eaglets (U17 Boys national team), Flamingos (U17 women national team), Flying Eagles (U20 Men) and Falconets (U20 Women).