Sources from the Nigerian team state that the NFF will not get a dime of the $390,000 awarded to the bronze winning Nigeria U-23 team by Japanese billionaire Katsuya Takasu.
Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel will rather donate part of his share of the largess in a sharing formula that will include the 22 players, team officials, and coach Siasia. Indeed, NFF will not get a dime from the money.
Katsuya Takasu, a Japanese surgeon made good his promise to reward the team for their bravery in Rio after they beat Honduras 3-2 for the bronze medal.
The Nigeria Football Federation and the Sports Ministry made their observations known by insisting that the money must be from a credible sources, but according to feelers from the camp of the Olympics Eagles, the NFF were only seeking for means of getting their hands on the money.
However, Takasu issued two Citibank cheques $200,000 in the name of coach Samson Siasia and $190,000 in the name of Mikel. One of the team’s officials disclosed to Africafootball.com that the team vowed not to hand over the money to the NFF.
“Mikel has insisted all of us will get our share of the money. That we should not mind what the people in the NFF are saying.
“He will make available this cash when he comes for next month’s AFCON qualifier against Tanzania in Uyo.”
A team meeting has already resolved that both players and officials will receive equal amount of the cash with Mikel himself agreeing to give part of his own share for the chief coach (Siasia) to get more than the rest of the squad.
It was further gathered that the sharing formula agreed was a flat rate for the 22 players (18 accredited players and four alternate players) and 10 officials.
