Coach Gernot Rohr has hired a French lawyer in a desperate bid to recover his outstanding bonuses and allowances from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
The Super Eagles manager, in an interview he granted a foreign magazine, InsideWorldFootbal, claimed that he was being owed a total of $100,000 (about ₦36million) as bonuses and allowances.
He said he secured a lawyer to negotiate with the NFF on the debt owed him after he got frustrated in his effort to get paid.
“I preferred to get Jean-Jacques involved because it got to a stage that I didn’t want to be speaking to the federation about money all the time. It got tiring… I wanted to take my mind away from money and simply focus on my job and let him deal with the issues off the field,” Rohr said.
The German tactician, whose current contract will expire in July next year, recently, admitted that he would be delighted to continue with his job after he led the Nigerian team to a bronze medal finish at the last Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt early this year. He disclosed that he would meet with the NFF President, Amaju Pinnick, in January 2020, to resolve issues affecting his new contract.
“I’m surprised that the federation are taking their time to conclude a contract,” Rohr said. “And to be honest, I’m also surprised that when I was given a contract extension after qualifying for the 2018 World Cup, it was only extended until July 2020, which is right in the middle of qualifiers for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon. That is not normal and it is only the federation that can explain the reason for this.
“While I’ve had a good time with my players and staff over the last three years, I have to say that relations with the administration have not been very easy, especially, when it comes to the payment of my wages and that of the bonuses and allowances of my players and staff.”
THE SUN, NIGERIA
