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Coaches
will confirm people bring money but they will not say it - Daniel Amokachi, Former
Nigeria captain
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Former Nigeria captain
Daniel Amokachi has said the practice of local coaches being bribed to invite
players onto the country's national teams is endemic.
BBC
Africa Sport continues:
Despite
no one being found guilty of the accusation, there have long been suspicions it
happens in Nigeria.
"Agents
always come to give money for their players to be invited to camp," said
Amokachi. "Does it have to be so?"
The
Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has asked Amokachi to produce evidence to
support his claims.
The
43-year-old, who won the Africa Cup of Nations as a player in 1994, says it is
time people spoke up about an issue that he says has long bedevilled the
Nigerian game.
"We
know this thing has been going on for a while but we have to voice it,"
the current manager of Finnish second tier side JS Hercules told BBC Sport.
Previously,
Amokachi worked as an assistant to former Super Eagles coaches Stephen Keshi
(2011-15), Shaibu Amodu (2008-10) and Austin Eguavoen (2005-2007).
He
says that all three used to complain about the practice.
"Every
time Amodu would tell me: 'Can you listen to these useless agents that are
calling me? They want to give me US$10,000, US$20,000 and US$30,000 to bring
their players in.'"
"But
he's a man of integrity and wouldn't take it. I worked with Keshi and it was
the same scenario. With Eguavoen, it was the same.
"If
these three names mentioned had not had integrity, definitely they would have
fallen victim."
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Amokachi
says former Nigeria coach Amodu complained about being offered money to pick
players
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Mohammed
Sanusi, the NFF General Secretary, rejected Amokachi's allegations while also
calling on him to furnish the organization with more information.
"I
think it is unfair to make such allegations and not mention the names of those
involved," Sanusi told BBC Sport.
"It
would be fair if he mentions the names of those who have either approached him
or approached some people to give them money. He should also mention people who
he knew collected money.
"I
think that will be the best way to go about it.
"I
have not heard of this issue from any quarter and I can tell you that the NFF
will not tolerate this kind of behaviour. If Amokachi has evidence of what he
has said he should bring it forward and we will take it up."
The
former international, who enjoyed a fruitful career in Europe with Anderlecht
(Belgium), Everton (England) and Besiktas (Turkey), says he has been inspired
to speak out after being accused of the practice himself.
It
came after Nigeria, African champions in 2013, failed to qualify for next
month's Nations Cup in Gabon.
"Someone
accused me lately, (saying) 'the reason Nigeria did not qualify is because all
you coaches demand bribes.'"
"You
understand? I felt the pain."
"So
if he is painting me as a bad egg among a few, then somebody like me cannot be
quiet about it."
"Coaches
will confirm people bring money but they will not say it.
"Players
will confess, even assistant coaches will confirm this thing is going on, but
the system does not allow you because a lot of us are hungry and afraid that
'when I say this, I will never be near that office again.'"
In
October, Amokachi asked the national anti-graft agency to investigate
high-level corruption blighting football in Nigeria - but has yet to hear back.
As a player, the former striker contested the 1994 and 1998 World Cups and won Olympic gold with his home nation in 1996.
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