Ann Chiejine, a former Super Falcons assistant coach, has advised the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to be more involved in contract agreements many Nigerian female footballers now sign abroad.
Chiejine, who appeared for the national team at three FIFA Women’s World Cup finals, said on Monday in Abuja that the contents of such contract agreements are very alarming.
“The rate at which Nigerian female footballers sign playing contracts with clubs across the world, particularly in Europe and Asia, is now alarming and needs to be checked.
“ It is very disturbing that they jump at any available opportunity to play in Europe and Asia without bothering about the contents of the contracts,’’ she told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
The former national goalkeeper advised that the NFF should be more involved in the players’ contract agreements.
“It is unbelievable that these players sign contracts that see them earning very little —- as low as 400 dollars and not higher than about 600 dollars per month.
“So, my advice is that the NFF should be more involved in their contract agreements.
“The football agents are exploiting the players and it has to stop.’’
She lamented the fact that some of the players involved were not even ready to listen to advice from experienced players like her.
“When we advise them, based on the fact that we have some knowledge and experience in such area, they feel it’s out of envy that they are going abroad.
“But it is not so. It is because we know they are good enough to earn good pay in Europe, and they should therefore go for contracts that are not slavish,’’ Chiejine said.
She however said, apart from NFF intervention in the area of good scrutiny, clubs on the domestic scene needed to do better to ensure Nigerian players stay back home.
“Our domestic clubs should up their game in terms of remunerations for these players.
“When our players realise they can earn something tangible at home, they won’t bother travelling abroad for peanuts.’’(NAN)
