Former Chairman of Gombe Football Association, Hon. Ahmed Shuaibu Gara-Gombe has expressed optimism that the Super Eagles have all it takes to stop the Desert Foxes of Algeria in their quarter final clash at the ongoing AFCON today
Gombe believes one-on-one and team valuation, the odds favour the Super Eagles to defeat Algeria, but has a piece of advice for the Nigerian players ahead of the game in Marakkech today at 5pm.
He cautioned Super Eagles players to embrace professional ethics, discipline , not resort to selfishness and holding the Nation to ransom .
Gombe who issued the statement in Abuja on Thursday frowned at the poor behaviour of some of the players whom he said threw caution to the wind to embarrass Nigeria through boycott of training occasioned by the demand for bonus and outstanding allowances in Morocco.
The former Chairman of Nigeria football stakeholders forum pointed out that the players behaviour was unpatriotic and showed abject greed. “I want to say this, it’s so unfortunate and painful that these crop of Super Eagles players are so greedy, and unpatriotic”.
He queried “Why would they always chose to embarrass Nigeria at every given time they have the opportunity to represent the country outside asking for peanuts as bonuses”, pointing out “Some of these unqualified players lobby, begged to be invited to play for Nigeria, and after their invitation to camp, they eat free food, free tickets, just ordinary bonus, they would decide to hold the Nation to ransom”
The former Special adviser to the former Governor of Kano State stressed ‘in a tournament like these where countries are looking for positive image in the media. In a tournament where the world media is focused on the tournament, the Super Eagles chose
to paint our country black.”
He reiterated that just before this tournament, the last qualifying match they played for the World Cup was against Tanzania, between that time and play off with DR Congo in Morocco was about two months in between, they didn’t complain of any bonus or any allowance, that was the time they should have made their demands known to the authorities, but after inviting them to camp, instead of concentrating on their training, what they did was to boycott training because of outstanding bonus.
“And I asked, the two months in between, what did they do with it ?
“The players went into the tournament and received the allowances they were complaining about, after fumbling and wobbling.you got to this stage, you have a crucial match against Algeria and you’re messing up”.
The two time former Chairman of Gombe United Football Club, asked rhetorically “Hakim of Morocco earns One million Euros per month in PSG, How much do you think Morocco will pay him. He only needs the national team shirt.”
He pointed out “Morocco don’t pay players any allowance, based on my knowledge, they don’t pay them, players value their national team colour. But this parasites would want to hold Nigeria to ransom.” How much is this bonus when compared to what they earn every month playing for foreign clubs?
Gombe further cautioned that this is the time to call a spade a spade, and queried the usefulness of Winfred Ndidi’s Captainship insisting that, “I am aware he is not the first captain to lead Eagles in this kind of protest”, pointing out “Sometimes, what is legitimate could be asked wrongly which makes it illegitimate.
He warned the players “If they like, let them boycott the match against Algeria, adding “Just pray for good luck and win the match, if you lose, people will stone you.”
An angry Gomb wondered “What message are Super Eagles players sending to other Junior national teams, I blame their handlers, Nigeria should concentrate on the local boys and despise those who always hold Nigeria to ransom”.
He argued “Nigeria can select players from the local league that can replace these players in Morocco. Imagine South Africa, Morocco, Egypt how many of their boys are playing abroad.
Every country playing in AFCON in Morocco have a minimum of seven players playing in their local league.”
Gombe concluded “ The lack of professional discipline in some of the players may eventually make them become a sorry-sight after their career, becoming beggars”, stressing “Even when given an opportunity as administrators, they can’t perform. This is total nonsense and unacceptable”.
