Players of the Super Eagles yesterday demanded to know when their outstanding allowances and bonuses from previous Nations Cup matches would be settled.
Their demand was made when the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President, Amaju Pinnick, visited the team’s Bolton White Apartment Hotel camp in Abuja, ahead of Sunday’s World Cup qualifying match against Zambiain Ndola.
Pinnick was surprised when the players confronted him to know when their allowances, bonuses and return tickets funds would be cleared.
According to a source present at the meeting, Pinnick said the NFF is making frantic efforts to settle the outstanding bonuses.
He told the players not to rest on their oars until they ensure the World Cup ticket is secured.
“The players had hinged their demand on the fact that they are professionals and their rights must be respected, especially in case of any injury,” our source added.
National Mirror learnt that as a result, the NFF has been pulling all strings to make funds available for the crucial tie against Zambia, with plans to airlift the team in a chartered aircraft on Saturday.
Meanwhile, as part of their preparations towards the match against the Chipolopolo, Super Eagles yesterday beat NPFL side, Plateau United, 3-0 in a warm up game.
Attacking midfielder, Elderson Echiejile, and Arsenal striker, Alex Iwobi, scored in the game played inside the Main Bowl of Abuja National Stadium.
Coach Gernot Rohr paraded the combination of home-based and some foreign-based players on the side of Eagles in the first half, a selection that was not too impressive.
Eagles, however, made the breakthrough on 40 minutes of the encounter when Echiejile picked the ball from midfield, dribbled two Plateau United players before he fired a low cross to find the back of the net for the opener.
Second half of the game witnessed the first 11 of Eagles players, a selection that brought a lot of changes with outstanding performance from captain Mikel Obi, Kelechi Iheanacho and Iwobi which eventually yielded expected result.
Iwobi scored the second goal in the 50th minute after receiving passfrom Iheanacho in the midfield, displaced United defender to fire a shot.
One minute into the extra time, the Man City forward’s cross met Iwobi inside the Plateau United vital area and he deceived the united defender before firing a low cross to make it three goals to nil.
The test game provided some reasons for Nigerian fans to look forward to the World Cup qualifier with confidence.