Tanzania Football Federation, TFF, are yet to fully offset Emmanuel Amuneke’s contractual entitlements nearly two years after the Nigerian coach left the services of the East African country, Completesports.com reports.
We gathered that the outstanding money is $18, 000 (about N6, 848.262m).
The former Barcelona winger penned a two year deal with the Tanzanian Football Federation in 2018 and the 1996 Atlanta Olympics soccer gold medalist hauled the Taifa Stars into history with qualification for their first Africa Cup of Nations in 39 years.
The last time Tanzania reached the AFCON finals was in 1980 in Lagos, Nigeria, where they were logged in pool A with the hosts and eventual winners, Nigeria’s Green Eagles who dimmed the Taifa Stars 3-1 in their opening group clash.
Tanzania crashed out of the 2019 AFCON tournament in the group stage after losing all three group games.
The hierarchy of TFF thereafter relieved the Chile 2015 FIFA U17 World Cup-winning coach his managerial role but have yet to completely pay him nearly two years after.
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It was learnt that Amuneke, the 1994 African Player of thw Year, has continued to press on TFF to do the needful, but his efforts have not hit the positive cord, a situation that has left the 1994 AFCON winner frustrated.
Amuneke, who is unwilling to conclude that Tanzania are playing games with him, is equally not keen on twisting the arms of his debtors by reporting them to the world football ruling body, FIFA.
It was further scooped that correspondences between Amuneke and the TFF General Secretary, Kidao Wilfred, appears broken down as it was understood that recently, Amuneke’s mails and messages demanding TFF to keep to their word of earlier agreement had been unanswered.
“It’s not really nice that I’m yet to be paid. Equally, I think it’s not good for them that they are owing,” Amuneke told Completesports.com from his Spain base on Thursday.
“Yes, I need the money, $18, 000 (or N6,848.262m) is a huge sum but we all know the present economic situation around the World today. So, let’s hope and pray they find the money to pay.”
Amuneke’s managerial career began in 2008 at Al Hazim FC, a Saudi Arabian club in the capacity of an Assistant Coach before assisting Manu Garba to win the 2013 FIFA U17 World Cup for Nigeria in Dubai, UAE, in 2013.
In 2014, the Eziobodo, Owerri, Imo State born gaffer was entrusted with U17 Golden Eaglets assignment as head coach to defend the 2015 FIFA U17 World Cup in Chile, a project he successfully executed.
Later, he was promoted to the U20 Flying Eagles but his squad fell one short on the final hurdle to qualify for the CAF U20 AFCON following defeat by Sudan on away goals rule, a result that left Amuneke disappointed.
Amuneke also coached Sudanese club, Al Khartoum in 2017/2018 before he was contracted by Tanzania in 2018/2019. The Copa Del Rey winner with Barcelona in 1996/97 was hired by Egyptian club, Misr Lel Makkasa last year as Academy Supervisor.
2 Comments
Perhaps it’s time for Amuneke to call a debt factor. They will give him perhaps 80% of what is owed, and then face the Tanzania FA as the new creditors.
Perhaps coaches in Africa should start demanding payment upfront before services can be rendered. It’s just shameless how some potbellied idiots will sit on someone else’s money for months. This doesn’t happen anywhere else in the world.
Make una give am him money na.nawao.