Lawal backs Flying Eagles to demand for entitlements •Tasks NFF to source funds to pay them News

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Lawal backs Flying Eagles to demand for entitlements •Tasks NFF to source funds to pay them

By Augustine Kalu on January 10, 2017

Garba Lawal, former national team player and a former member of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Technical Committee has thrown his weight behind the rumoured protest by the Flying Eagles over the nonpayment of their accumulated match bonuses and allowances that run into millions of naira.

Speaking exclusively with Daily Sports on phone from his Kaduna base, the former General Manger of the Nigeria National League (NNL) side, Kaduna United said it was wrong in the first place for the football governing body to owe the players of their entitlements.

He explained that he has no problems if the Flying Eagles want to embark on protest in order to get their entitlements if that is what it will take for them to get what legitimately is their right.

He, however, advised the NFF to save the nation from another round of embarrassment few weeks after the African conquering Super Falcons staged sit-in protest at their Agura Hotel that lasted for days over unpaid allowance and bonuses before President Buhari intervened.

“If it is true that Flying Eagles are planning to stage their own protest over unpaid bonuses and allowances, why not, if it is what it takes for them to get their entitlements,” Lawal posited.

“The question is why should they be owed in the first place? As far as I am concerned, I do not see anything wrong if the Flaying Eagles want to stage their own protest to get their entitlements.

“When did it become a crime for somebody to ask for his right? What is at stake here is their legitimate entitlement, they are not asking for something extra-ordinary.

“So, I do not see anything wrong if they chose to stage a protest like the Super Falcons if that is the only way they can get their entitlement. Like I said they are not supposed to be owed by the NFF in the first place,” Lawal said.

“I believe that the Amaju Pinnick-led board of the Nigeria Football Federation should save the nation another round of national and international embarrassment by sourcing for funds and pay the players. If the rumoured protest by the Flying Eagles should be allowed to be carried out by the Flying Eagles it will be too bad for the image of this country,” Lawal explained.

It is recalled that the nation was thoroughly embarrassed when for almost a month after the Africa Women Cup of Nation in Cameroon the Super Falcons staged sit in protest at their Agura Hotel over unpaid bonuses and allowances by the NFF until President Muhammadu Buhari intervened by ordering that money be released and pay the women their entitlements.

Photo shows Ex-international Garba Lawal.

Source Daily Sports

Posted January 10, 2017