Eddie Akalonu
18 September 2007
opinion
Nigerians should expect the worst from the on-going China 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup as the Super Falcons' boycott of training began Saturday and was on till yesterday, 24 hours before their crucial match against the United States of America in Shanghai.
The players are protesting non payment of their allowances and bonuses. From their days in camp in Nigeria to the training tour of Germany to when the world championship started in China, the players have not received a kobo from the Nigeria Football Association. And they are women who need special attention and may want to buy a few things that are private to them.
Yet, they have not been paid a dime, a development that many see as unfortunate. It was same story in the last World Cup where the girls were treated so badly that they could not win a match.
Here, in China, they have not earned anything even for the draw against Sweden, a country that has good female football history.
The strike embarked by the players has not portrayed Nigeria in good light. It was the same story for Togo in the last 2006 World Cup in Germany when grumbles over unpaid allowances made news in Germany than the game they were there to play.
It is only divine intervention that may see the name of Nigeria not spelt with goals by by the United States of America. That is if the Super Falcons players eventually agree to play their last group match. They are still boycotting training and as at yesterday nobody knew what they would be up to.
It is so bad here that the NFA has threatened to ban the players if they do not rescind their decision. Princess Bola Jegede, head of female football, has been appealing to the girls and feels strongly that they would respect her plea. The coach, Ntiero says he would prefer to remain neutral.
FIFA and the Local Organising Committee are now aware of the crisis in Nigerian camp when the Nigerian team could not come out for their Monday morning training where they were supposed to address the press after the training as it is the tradition before matches. The development is casting shame on Nigeria's image here.
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