Coach of the Nigerian U-23 team that won Bronze in the just concluded Olympic games Samson Siasia has explained how the money given to them by Japanese Plastic surgeon and billionaire Katsuya Takasu was shared. The doctor had given the team $390,000 to share for winning the bronze medal, Nigeria’s only medal, at the Olympics. Siasia also criticised the Nigerian Football Federation for their objections to the money gifted to the team saying that the investigations called for by the top dogs in the federation were unnecessary. “What actually happened is that the man was just curious how a team that was neglected and abandoned could arrive Rio under five hours and defeat the Japanese team that had all they needed and have been put together for over three years, that was his amazement.” Siasia said explaining what transpired.

 He continued, “These guys who are saying they want to do all manner of checks, what have they done for us? Do you know that since we returned, nobody from the NFF or Ministry has called us to say that we did well. The president came and just talked and that was it, well it is not the first time he will be talking. “When players don’t even have $100 dollars in their pocket and you want to come and preach to them.” Siasia said the entire amount of $390,000 was shared equally among all the members of the team including the supporting staff. “The Japanese benefactor said $200,000 and $190,000 was supposed to be for bronze medal and it was split among the players and officials equally. It is not my personal money and this must be made clear. “What I got was what every other player of official in the team got about $14,000 dollars each. The man came to Salvador where we played and gave $200,000 as draft to me and $190,000 to Mikel because he cannot write cheque to every member of the team, he made it simpler so that we all can share the money and now we are paying to the individual accounts of the boys. “So make this issue clear to everybody that has been following it, the money was never meant for me or Mikel alone but for the entire team including the doctors and other backroom staff”.

Players and officials of Dream Team VI are yet to receive their remaining allowances after winning bronze medal at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Nigeria U-23 side on Saturday, August 20 beat Honduras in the third-place match to win football bronze at Rio 2016. Samson Siasia who arrived back in the country with some of his players on Monday, August 22 revealed that they have not been paid their full allowances for Rio 2016.The Dream Team VI were paid some allowances during the Games after the players threatened to stay away from training. “They said no match bonuses when the Games began, but they didn’t tell us this before the tournament,” Samson said as quoted by FC Naija. “Not one penny. It was when the players cried that they came with 11 days daily allowance and that was all they gave us.” “They then said they would pay us bonuses only when we got to the medal stages but up till now, we don’t even know how much for the Bronze we won,” Siasia continued.

Chelsea midfielder, John Mikel Obi, has been announced as the new captain of the Super Eagles. The news was broken by Ahmed Musa, who was the skipper until today. The CSKA Moscow winger replaced Vincent Enyeama, after the goalkeeper announced his retirement from international football. “I want to announce now that from today, John Obi Mikel is our new captain,” Musa said at the Eagles’ press conference, ahead of Friday’s AFCON 2017 qualifier against Egypt. Musa was flanked by interim manager, Samson Siasia and Mikel Obi during his announcement.