Godwin Izilien, Super Falcons coach, who led the team to African Women Championship glory in South Africa, in 2004, has appealed to Federal Government to keep its promise to reward the technical crew.

Godwin Izilien: he and coaching crew owed $28750 since 2004

Izilien made the appeal in an interview on Monday in Benin.
He said that he and his coaching crew were still being owed salary arrears of over 28, 750 dollars, explaining that he had 12,000 dollars of the amount.

“I have written several letters to concerned authorities without a single reply; I am suffering after being neglected by the football authority.

“To think that I agreed to handle all female national teams at a time of crisis without asking for extra remuneration, and to be treated in this manner is not encouraging for the growth of the game.

“I did it out of patriotism, but all I am asking for is I and my crew members’ entitlements from the 2004 AWC in South Africa amounting to 28,750 dollars.

“We were promised payments on arrival in Nigeria after the championship but till date nobody has said anything about that money,’’ he said.

The coach recalled that the players ‘’stayed back after in South Africa the championship insisting on getting their bonuses after the football authority reneged to fulfil its promise of paying all entitlements after the competition.

“After being left behind by the Federal Government delegation, I stayed back with my players until the Nigeria Consulate intervened by paying the players’ entitlements.’’

“I understand where this is coming from, because nobody gave us any chance before our departure for that championship.
“Being the first coach to have won gold at the National Sports Festival in 1999, I took some of those winning players and went and conquered in South Africa.

“It is only fair that government should have appreciated our efforts. I am only using this medium to appeal to the President to include us in his package of rewarding excellence and fulfilling Federal Government’s promise to my crew,’’ he added.