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The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) over the years have been one of the dreaded organisations anyone would love to work for.

The employees,
particularly the coaches have been the worst hit; with many still
alleging that they are being owed several months of salaries years
after being relieved of their jobs.

From Christian
Chukwu to Amodu Shuaibu, the case is not different with both coaches at
different times laying claims to unpaid amounts running into millions
of naira.

However, in what
seems like a departure from the ugly past, the current Super Eagles
coach, Samson Siasia looks to be in for a good time with the current
board of the NFF even though many still believe it is too early in the
day to sing praises of the board which is still locked in a series of
court battles over its legitimacy.

First of its kind

For once, the
federation made a choice of coach that was popular among the fans and
football pundits alike. A proper unveiling ceremony was conducted and a
five-million-naira-a-month salary contract – first of its kind for an
indigenous coach – was agreed for Siasia.

Recently, the Eagles gaffer was presented with a befitting chauffeured Ford Taurus 2010 car as his official car.

Shehu Adamu,
Chairman of the NFF Finance Committee says Siasia’s official apartment
will be ready in a few weeks. He explained the delay: “We have been on
this for some time now but we have not been able to see the type we
want. The President (Aminu Maigari) has given a marker that it must be
super. And that is what we are working on. We now have a couple of
options from which we believe we can settle for one”, Adamu said.

Expectedly, Siasia
in appreciation of the NFF’s deeds, admitted that the NFF’s gestures
towards him were a first-of-its-kind treatment for a national team
coach.

“Honestly, I am
bowled over. I don’t think any Head Coach of the national team, whether
indigenous or expatriate, has ever had this kind of car for his
official use. Certainly, I am grateful to the NFF for fulfilment of its
promises,” he said.

Nothing Exceptional

While the moves by
the NFF are being commended, former national team coach, Paul Hamilton,
says the federation was only doing its job and should not be seen as
anything out of the world.

“It’s a welcome
development of course but they are just doing what they are meant to
do. For the first time we are treating one of our own the way he should
be treated,” Hamilton noted.

“I only hope he
(Siasia) will also reciprocate by giving not just the federation but
Nigerians alike the quality results they have been yearning for on the
field of play.” He added. For Ndubisi Nduka, coach of Premier League
side, Plateau United, the NFF’s action will in no small way spur Siasia
to giving his best. He however advised the NFF: “It’s a good start but
I hope it would be sustained; it won’t be good to see the coach coming
out in three months time that his salary has not been paid or some
benefits denied him. I hope the treatment will be spread across to the
other coaches so there would not be any reason for envy,” he stated.

Task ahead

Currently preparing
for next month’s invitational tournament in the United States of
America, Siasia says he is determined to succeed.

“It is now
incumbent on myself and my colleagues in the technical crew as well as
the players not to disappoint. We will give our very best and do
everything we can to earn results on the field that will give Nigerians
joy,” said Siasia.

The first test for
Siasia is a friendly match with Guatemala on February 9 in the United
States before moving on to participate in the President’s Cup; an
invitational tournament organised in honour of the US president Barrack
Obama.

The coach is
expected to try out his new invitees and a number of former members of
the team as he gets set for the bigger challenge of an African Cup of
Nations qualifier match with Ethiopia on March 26. The match is a must
win for the Eagles if they are to get back on track their hopes of
qualifying for the 2012 tournament to be co-hosted by Gabon and
Equatorial Guinea.

Nigeria is
currently behind Guinea on the Group B standings and only countries
that finish top in their respective groups are guaranteed automatic
tickets to the championships.

The last time
Nigeria played through the qualifiers and failed to make it to the
Nations Cup was in 1986 when it was ousted by Zambia. The other times
Nigeria was absent at the football Championships in recent times was at
the South Africa ‘96 and Burkina Faso ‘98 editions where the country
withdrew from the former and was subsequently suspended from the latter.