Pinnick Promises Financial Support for Nigeria Football Legends

Pinnick Promises Financial Support for Nigeria Football Legends

Charges Flying Eagles to soar in Poland

President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Mr. Amaju Pinnick, has reiterated that the football-governing body will soon institute a welfare foundation for former Nigerian international players in order to guarantee ready funding for them in case of unexpected health challenges.

The NFF supremo, who is also the 1st Vice President of the Confederation of African Football, gave this assurance in London on Thursday, hours after receiving former Nigerian captain Christian Chukwu alongside his wife and sister after Chukwu arrived for medical treatment.

“You would recall that at the last NFF Football Awards in Lagos on April 1, we had announced that a welfare foundation would be instituted for our legends to take care of them in times of their need. At that time, we didn’t even have any idea that Chukwu would be faced with this kind of health challenge.

“I am happy that he is here now and we have made adequate arrangements for his surgery, medication and general after-surgery care. He will get the best treatment possible and we are confident he will return to Nigeria hale, hearty and sound of mind and body.”

Chukwu arrived in London on Thursday in company of his wife Lilian Nkeiruka, his sister Mrs. Edith Chinelo Motanya and Dr. Ibrahim Gyaran, who is medical doctor of the Super Eagles.

He will have the surgery and immediate after-surgery care at the Wellington Hospital on Circus Road in St. John’s Woods.

Meanwhile, Pinnick has charged the Nigeria U-20 boys, Flying Eagles, to do the nation proud on and off the field at the FIFA U-20 World Cup starting in Poland on Thursday.

Pinnick, in company of NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, arrived at the Flying Eagles’ The Monarch Hotel camp in Bad Goegging, Germany on Friday morning, ahead of the team’s departure to the World Cup on Sunday. The duo later joined the team at training.

“I have spoken to the head coach and he has assured me that you guys have made tremendous progress since arriving at the training camp here in Germany. Let me state clearly that as a U-20 squad from Nigeria, so much is expected of you at the world stage. Nigeria has been in the final of the FIFA U-20 World Cup on two occasions and won the bronze medals once before.

“The NFF and Nigerians generally, as well as the football world, expect so much from you in Poland. You must perform very well on the field while showing good attitude and sense of fairplay , and also make discipline, diligence and decency your watchwords off the field, in order to fly Nigeria’s flag high.”

On Friday, the Flying Eagles engaged Red Bull Leipzig of Germany in their final pre-World Cup friendly, three days after drawing 1-1 with Red Bull Salzburg in another friendly in Austria.

The Flying Eagles delegation will fly from Germany to Tychy on Sunday. They will take on Qatar in their first match of the FIFA U-20 World Cup on May 24, before other Group D games against USA May 27 and Ukraine May 30.

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