NFF at war with clubs over release of players

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) are at war with clubs who have refused to release players invited to the U-23 Dream Team VI camp.

Coach Samson Siasia invited over 30 players but only four have reported for camp which has angered the NFF.

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Speaking in Abuja, the General Secretary of the federation, Dr Mohammed Sanusi expressed shock at the uncooperative attitude of the clubs who have refused to release their players.

“I was shocked when Siasia in­formed me of the situation he is passing through in his camp. I was not happy that nobody brought the issue of players shuttling between camp and clubs, leaving camp to play for clubs,” Sanusi said.

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Sanusi threatened that the NFF will have no choice than to suspend the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) if the clubs refuse to release players.

“I have directed that a letter be written to dispatch to all the clubs and also the FAs of the state the players come from to inform them that henceforth, we are not going to allow any invited play to leave the camp to prosecute any match for their clubs.

“I cannot understand why it should happen in the first place. I don’t un­derstand why a club should worry because they have two players in the national team when a club is allowed to register 40 players to prosecute the league.

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“No club can jeopardise national interest because of just two players in the national team. We are going to put a permanent stop to it,” he warned.