Former Nigeria national team coach, Clemens Westerhof has alleged that players bribed their way into the national team in the past.
The long-serving Nigerian manager toldSupersport.com those players who did not merit a place in the national team got call-ups after giving money to the selectors.
He said, “We had a situation where we had the wrong people in the wrong places, even in the (Nigeria) FA”.
Even though the Dutchman was not specific with the names of the players and coaches involved he insisted that monies usually exchanged hands between national team selectors and the players when places in the national team were considered.
“We had cases where players paid $15,000 to the coach and say ‘I want to play for the national team’ and the coach would accept. They bought their way into the national team and it was an unbelievable situation. Very sad. I know these things,” Westerhof said.
With Nigeria set to compete at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations from January, Westerhof said things have changed for the better under current head coach, Stephen Keshi.
“My captain (Keshi) is there now and you can see the changes because he selects the right people.
“Nigeria beat Liberia 6-1 in a 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier and outclassed Venezuela (in an international friendly earlier this month). The results come because players are now selected on merit.
“If Keshi can manage to hold that group together things will get even better. If there is discipline everywhere; the players sleep in time and live like professionals, work like professionals and think like professionals and even go to the toilet like professionals, then you will see Nigeria will come back,” he said.
While there have always been allegations about bribery, there has not been any proven case of such incidents. But in particular, both the Nigerians and foreigners have always been suspects in promoting players for the European transfer market to the detriment of the team. Playing for Nigeria remains quite lucrative for players.
At the 2013 African Nations Cup, each player of the Super Eagles could earn as much as $100,000 should they win the trophy in South Africa.
In the proposed budget each player will earn $10,000 for a win in the first round, where they are drawn against defending champions Zambia, Burkina Faso and Ethiopia.
This would translate to $30,000 each if they win all three first round matches, the same amount they also received when they qualified for the quarterfinal of the 2010 tournament in Angola.