By Akeem Busari
Following the upheavals that trailed the reported unceremonious sacking of the duo of former Super Eagles players, Finidi George and Ike Shorounmu as coaches attached to the Nigeria senior male national football team, the Super Eagles, Nigeria’s foremost players union, the Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria (PFAN), has come out with a press statement condemning the action of the NFF.
In the statement signed by PFAN Secretary-General, Emmanuel Babayaro, MON, it expressed its dismay and disappointment by the news of the sack of Finidi and Shorounmu.
The press statement read thus, “The Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria is dismayed and deeply traumatized by the news that greeted the airwaves of the sudden and disgraceful manner in which our own football icons and coaches in continued service to their fatherland, were unceremoniously dismissed from their jobs.
“While PFAN as a National brand have deemed it necessary to give the current NFF leadership some soft landing to enable them hit the ground running in cognizance of the rot they inherited from the previous administration, we can not however, be mute while our sworn oat and mandate as an organization is trampled on.
“On this premise therefore, the Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria (PFAN), condemn in the strongest terms the way and manner our football icons, Finidi George and Ike Shorunmu, were dismissed from their jobs as Super Eagles assistant coaches.
“Before becoming coaches, these great men were players who rose to become icons of the beautiful game after gloriously giving their all representing their great country under the same NFF. These legends of Nigeria, who belong in the Nigeria Football Hall of Fame, under the custody of the same NFF, did not deserve the derogatory treatment meted on them by the Federation. Their sack falls very short, even under the Employment act of the Federal Republic.
“PFAN therefore, expects a public explanation from the Nigeria Football Federation of this perceived disrespectful act in order to quell the heightened foul sentiments occassioned by this unfortunate act.”
It continued, “The union have also mandated its Players Welfare Task Force to interface with the NFF in order to forestall any future occurrence of such acts. We are also asking the leadership of the NFF, to make sure that the unceremoniously relieved coaches Finidi George and Ike Shorunmu get their entitlements in full.
“We will maintain status quo in our support for the nascent Football Leadership but shall never fail in our mandate in protecting and promoting the rights and welfare of the Nigerian footballer. All we are saying is, do the right thing”.
