Coaches of Premier League club Nasarawa United will receive their outstanding N18.5 million sign-on fees for the just concluded 2016/2017 season, an official said on Wednesday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the money, already approved by Nasarawa State Government, owners of the club, is for Head Coach, Kabiru Rogo and his two assistants.
Mr Bamaiyi Anangba, Commissioner of Youth and Sports, who made the disclosure however said, the government would henceforth pay coaches and players of the club enhanced salaries in place of sign-on fees.
He also announced that there would be massive reorganisation in the club ahead of the 2017/2018 league season.
“Just days ago, his Excellency graciously approved the 2016/2017 agreement for the coaches.
“He approved N18, 500, 000 for the agreement on their sign on fees; he however said that after this payment, no more sign on fees will be paid, we will now be working on enhanced salary for members of the team.
“That is the new trend in the game. I visited teams in the north central part of the country and found out no one is paying sign on fees again, rather, they are all paying enhanced salaries,” he said.
The commissioner said the same formula would apply to the state female football team, Nasarawa Amazons, from next season.
He disclosed that the 45 players in the team would be pruned down while aged players would be sold or loaned out before the commencement of the new season.
“We want to put our house in order as early as possible so we can replicate what Plateau United achieved in the just concluded season.
“We cannot continue to keep 45 players and for the whole season, some people are not playing.
“So I have advised them to tell us in their reports those aged players they cannot contain so we can have space to bring in new young breed who will work hard for the club.
“There is also the need for the technical crew to offer more chances to players from the feeder team so as to have a significant number of indigenous players in the senior team.
“If you look at Nasarawa United, 80 percent of those playing for us are not indigenous.
“We need more indigenous players in the team so we can also sell and access funds in future if the need arises, football business is give and take,” the commissioner said.
