Former Super Eagles player, Chigozie Udoji has made a startling revelation, noting that his refusal to sign a contract that will see national team coaches earn 20 percent of his earnings for life was the reason he was snubbed from the team.
Udoji who was a guest on Brila FM’s ‘No Hold’s Barred’ with Ifeanyi Udeze expressed regret with how the situation turned out, adding that his career may have been better off had he yielded to the demand.
“If I had given what was asked perhaps I would be elsewhere today. They wanted me to sign a contract,”.
“Maybe I made mistakes or not but I feel it’s all God’s plan. Maybe it’s because I didn’t give the things I was asked,” Udoji said.
“Nigeria is a country of give and take, that’s the culture. If I had given what was asked perhaps I would be elsewhere today.
“They wanted me to sign a contract. I was asked to sign a Contract where they’ll (the National team Coaches) be entitled to 20% of my earning for the rest of my career.
“But as a kid from Ajegunle I just wanted to play football and had my ambitions, so I refused and I was snubbed.
Udoji said he was confident to ask for a chance to play for Nigeria because he had the quality and was good enough, but the coaches made demands that he couldn’t accept and thus was never given that invitation.
“I was interviewed about playing for Nigeria and if I felt like I deserved a place I responded in the affirmative and I stand by it till today.”
By Augustine Akhilomen
National Team Coaches Wanted 20% Of My Earnings For Super Eagles Call-Up- Udoji
National Team Coaches Wanted 20 Percent Of My Earnings To Give Me A Shirt In The Team- Ex-S'Eagles Player, Udoji Reveals
Austin Akhilomen
Augustine Akhilomen is a passionate sports content writer. A fan of the Super Eagles and Chelsea. My aim is to promote the game of sports globally.
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49 Comments
Oga please name the coach so we will know who is who in naija,ok maybe it was Rohr,and that short man can’t ask you to made the name public
Don’t mind this guy. He’s a natural loser, trying to blame others for his failures. Her couldn’t be bold enough to be specific about his allegations.
There is no need to be rude to players that are willing to sacrifice for the betterment of the Nation Nigeria, have you asked your self this simple question? Why are you been abusive & negative? Please always endeavour to be a problem solver both in your personal life & in public affairs also..
The player has his right not to disclose names for his own personal reasons but if need be or they really do care to investigate about such allegations then he can be heared.
Stay blessed
Jimmy you have spoken my mind, these guys living in the shores of Nigeria know nothing about politics and how shameful our leaders have brought our country to disrepute, they don’t know what is happening in the country they’re living in. They are living brainwashed life that is why they will defend whatever the news makes them to believe forgetting that the news itself is political.
Thanks wise one,not so many people have this word called WISDOM…he doesn’t even know anything bout Chigozie Udoji and yet he’s here expressing his failures
@JimmyBall
I am sounding a last warning to you: Don’t ever tamper with my name in ANY way and then give it your own sinister meaning. Focus on the views I have expressed without resorting to dirty tactics. If you provoke me again and attempt to desecrate my honored name, I’ll make sure that both your miserable dick and Ball(s) will be crushed in the open.
I do not condone bribery and corruption. See where those vices have landed us in Nigeria. To crush these unwholesome practices needs courage, the courage for victims to stand up and oppose them openly. What is the use of crying wolf after several years of an alleged crime? Ours is the land of the brave. Victims should be bold enough to come out with their allegations so that something can be done about them.
@kangA… Ok sir. I apologize… I no get power.
@JimmyBall..@Kanga called the guy a loser cos he didn’t name the people who asked him for money and you attacked him for that. Udoji didn’t mention any coach name but you already assumed is KESHI`s Era, that is someone who is not here to defend himself, so what is the difference between your comment and @ Kanga`s comment? Apart from him calling the guy a loser, his comment makes more sense. Why bringing KESHI name into this when the guy didn’t call anybody`s name? You know you deserve to be in the team, but some people cut you off bcos you refused to pay them, you are a grown-up man, not a boy, you didn’t say anything, and after 4-5 years you come out and start telling us stories, please go and write a book and present it to those who have time to waste. All these guys, Taye Taiwo and co, did they force them to swear an oath never to expose who ask them for money before they can make the team? you guys are men, not boys, why coming out now? Please leave the chat.
@Ralph… Try to understsnd English. I never said it was Stephen Keshi who tried to strike a deal with Udoji. I said the case of Chogozie Agbim who was one of the worst goalkeepers in the league but the only one getting Super Eagles call up and the annointed homebased SE keeper at the time happened during Keshi Era so it could not have been far from such arrangements too. When Ogbuke, Taye Taiwo, Sunday Mbah accused late coach Keshi I was not there so please drop me… We still have not forgotten Reuben Gabriel, Michael Uchebo, Kunle Odunlami mysteriously gatecrashing our world cup 2014 team while Osaze Odemwingie was almost never called up, of course Ike Uche was discarded at that time. The truth will always be truth… @KangA should have just asked why Udoji did not mention names rather than outright insult… the likes of Taye Taiwo and Ogbuke who mentioned names how did Nigerians like you receive it? Bro… go drink ice water abeg!
If you ain’t a failure u wouldn’t be here trying to say shii about something u don’t know of…I see you’ve achieved so much In life as to calling someone else a loser when you don’t even know his story,don’t be too quick to saying things that won’t count or help the society… corruption be making the country fail and you’re here acting on the same corruption
Guy name the people involved or go and sit where you have found yourself, you should be bold like a man to give us names …
@Toni be a respectful indigene and not be so stupid as to judge a man you barely know or how it all played, he’s refused to mention names cause it wouldn’t matter much now. Can’t you respect that at least,people like you tend to be focused on other people’s failures like any of that is gonna make you successful. The positive thing here is to better the system for the young generations you’re here being stupid silly monkey
Plz let’s not insult him, he might be saying the truth..
Not everyone prefers to call names, when ogebuke and others mentioned names in their own case it was still fellow Nigerians who insulted him.
We need to change our ways
Is he the first that has made such allegations????? Hell no! Osaze, ogbuke, et al and this guy have said the same thing and some very myopic dudes are behaving as if an issue that has been raised by more than five witnesses is not true. Why not urge the nff to investigate these allegations rather than shoot the messengers of truth??? We have a very big problem in this country.
Hehehehe….if he doesnt name names, they will call him names….if he does they will switch to “why is he just coming out to talk now”…..LMAO. That’s how Nigerians behave when they know the truth but do not want to admit it….LMAO. Of course we all know these things, and we also know the reason why everyone is feeling edgy is because it has to be a local coach that was involved….LMAO.
@Dr.Drey… is that you or the other one? Lol… It’s confusing these days. I think this is the real @Dr.Drey… Meanwhile good comment!
@jimmy, from your comments, something deep inside me tells me you are the one impersonating drey. Instead of coming up with strong arguments with facts (just as drey always does) to counter his stance on issues, you resort to impersonation which butresses ur low level of intelligence and foolishness but not to worry, your likes have come and gone here and your own case shall not be different. Evil lasts for a while but good out lives even time itself.
@oakfield… see as you the insult me and I no tell you anything. I am not the impersonator believe me brother, it’s just funny how that guy despite pleas from forumites have clung to the same alias as @Dr.Drey… brother I can bet you unintelligence far from me. I be EEE graduate from Nigeria and get foreign post grad degree for three hybrid fields of that program o… no be mouth, I say make I just tell you say no run on whim of conjecture say I the impersonate another active forumite… the name JimmyBall na from my playing days… I swear to God, I have seen just few footballers who play a balance dual-foot (left and right) like me… na only one name come to mind, and I did watch him closely back in the day… Phillip Cocu… go and watch his clips, that was a replica of JimmyBall’s play when I strut on the field… one love!
… for @Oakfield to even insinuate say na me the impersonate @Dr.Drey sef baffle me… haba, forumites know how I write with “three row of points… ” and my tone of writeups… I agree I am not perfect in my writeups and views but I always speak from a standpoint of fairness for all players worthy of consideration and I sit on 100% professionalism be it pressed with players, analysts or even coach Rohr… @Dr.Drey and me always have a go at each other every now and then… While he never applauds or thumbs-up my submissions, I always give him that whenever we find a common ground. There is no prize to be won here but we must speak the truth… Most of us came here from kickoffnigeria.com which was suspended by the site administrators. I recall a lot of us from that site, I was there still as JimmyBall because that is what I was called when I played from Army Children School North-Bank, Makurdi… Kingsley Elvis(Eyimba, Lobi) , Louis Otanwa(Eyimba, Lobi, Wikki Tourists), Sunday Ibeji(Lobi, Al Ahly of Egypt), David Tyavkase(Lobi, Eyimba) were guys I played with at Lobi… I speak based on practical experience and know that where you play (club), is often not down to talent alone but also fortune… Some of us could not go far in football because our parents felt education was more solid as compared to the uncertainties around football especially with the structures like we have in Nigeria. I was playing in Lobi right from feeders from a tender age but I was also enrolled in an Engineering program in my home university… It was a serious toll on me but I did my best… at the end of the day, education has taken me where I am today. I equally know a lot of folks out here on this forum have played some form of organized football… I respect balanced views each time. Football is beyond skills and fancy footwork, abroad is 85% end result that is the baseline of your expected play and how you will be taken seriously… I know @Dr.Drey has a good mental library and intellect about the game but someone will practical playing experience will never rightoff all homebased because I can tell you that if the best 11 from our league is selected against Super Eagles pros from European clubs… You might get a shocker if the league boys disgrace Super Eagles pros… This is the reason why in my eyes I will always let the trapdoor open for players like Junior Ajayi and Peter Olayinka… I have seen their body of game and can tell you that I will comfortably always make a Super Eagles squad with those two regardless even if we have all our players of the present squad starting for Real Madrid and Barcelona… but those are my own views and belief. So in a nutshell my views up to 35% will always differ from those of @Dr.Drey… So I will never impersonate him dear @Oakfield. One love…
There is something that of which I really need to be cleared of, guys why is it taking too much time for Nigeria to get players switch from England to Nigeria?
It kept me wondering for a longtime now, lookman, ejaria, Ojo, and ugbo, no one knows our fate really so far about their respective switch!
I just read that Jamal musiala has been granted a FIFA switch to start playing for German National team, I remember that this guy declared himself available for German National team not up 1full month…
If it could be this easy for Germany why not Nigeria? Remember, the same English team that Jamal had played for is also the same team the aforementioned players had also played for. We were told that 5FAs within the United kingdom has to signed before it could be sanctioned by FIFA hence, the too much delay. So, Jamal has completed his switch so swiftly with those five FA within the United kingdom but why is Nigerian case has been so different and being delayed na???
These aforementioned players have filled their respective switch since the past one year, what’s really happening with these guys switch na?
I am not happy about this issue this morning until someone who knows better clarifies me o!
NFF wetin dey happen na???
I hope at the end story no go enter this matter o.
NFF pls try and Fast Track the Olise’s international passport and let him play in our upcoming qualifiers o.
Don’t just want his case of being on standby smokes off like the case of Kingsley Ehizibue of fc cologne!
@Abdul handsy… The delays are deliberate. It’s just how powerful nations stall and frustrate and even bully some of these foreign borns so they don’t end up playing for the country of their heritage… Did you not see that Tomori was bullied by Lampard and Southgate… and when he was not playing they quickly discarded him? They did it to Saka also but in his case I don’t care because he can’t tie Chukwueze’s shoe laces yet… the list is endless. The delays are deliberate… See, you will be surprised it’s Scott Parker confusing Adarabioyo also because that guy had been courting Super Eagles openly before the recent declaration… They will leave him out of their Euro Squad then he will make a U-turn, watch and see… Just so he getcrashes our world cup team… because Southgate won’t list him in place of the likes of Harry McGuire
The truth is that we broadcast our own even b4 the process has started…while others broadcast theirs when it is already nearing completion. A good scenario is the Tammy Abaraham scenario where the NFF (through pinnick) went straight to press to declare Tammy has switched to Nigeria just because he has had dinner with his family. The moment a player has been spoken to and agrees, the NFF runs to the press to publicize it….when not one letter has been written to that effect yet. Like seriously…who does that…?? And that is one of the problems Rohr used to have with the NFF. He handled that of Kevin and no one saw it coming until it was virtually done and sorted…not even the DFB. We should also learn how to be covert with these things. Those FA’s too dont just want to loose these players just like that having invested so much in building the system that nurtured them. Tosin that was almost ready for us last year has started back-tracking because some people have began to sing sweet-nothings into his ears about the Euros.
This is to even add to the administrative inefficiency within the Nigerian system. During the course of international switches several communication are often exchanged between the various FA’s, Ministries, FIFA and all that. What you can get done within 1 hr in the west will take you months in Nigeria because someone wants a brown envelope b4 your case is attended to. You send mails to ministries and it doesn’t get attended to for months. You get very ridiculous excuses from some of these civil servants for not attending to your correspondence. Anyone who has done business with a govt ministry or department from outside the country can relate. Getting a passport is even worse….you are kept on the queue for months and when its not network problems today, it is non-availability of passport booklets tomorrow. These things even want to make you puke if you are not yet used to these ‘Nigerianisms’.
And the FIFA committee in charge of these things do not sit every day…they sit periodically….every 2 months or thereabout. You miss a sitting today and you have to wait for another 2 months for the next sitting. The good thing is that per fifa rules, once you have started the process, you cannot represent any national team until it is concluded…so for those who have already commenced, we just have to be patient until the process is seen to its very end.
How can the DFB not see Akpoguma’s switch to Nigeria coming when the application goes through the federation for approval before FIFA certification?
I’ve noticed that some of the people commenting here are football agents, ready to attack anyone that’s bringing out the truth, and that’s why Dr drey is there main target, if you notice the attack on him started increasing when he posted the names of the agents of each player, and we have some people falling for their trick, how can someone bringing out the truth if not he or she is involved in the scam.
And an not Dr drey
Mumu how many people be agent here? Na so una go dey talk anyhow.
China Samuel, I will not call you mumu back, but are you an agent or why is my comment bothering you. Learn to respect people and don’t attack people you don’t know.
Are you minding the Idiot…? Later he will come here like a crybaby acting like a victim and accuse Dr.Drey of being insultive.
It is his guilt conscience that is guilt-tripping him. You never mentioned anybody’s name yet he wants to devour you….LMAO. The fact that you even acknowledged Dr.Drey in your comment poured more petrol in the fire of jealousy that is burning in his brain…LMAO. Just watch out, him and his cahoot will also soon label you as my clones….LMAO.
Ever since I came on board there has been no place for their lies anymore, that is why life is becoming so frustrating for them. You can feel it in their comments….LMAO
You Dr Drey are just too jealous you Financial Analyst wannabe. You can only try this bullshit with Chika J Habakuk. You mess with me Sherrif and I will break every bone in your body and feed you to the maggots. Next time you mess with me, I will mess you up, you scarecrow.
“How can someone attack a person bringing out the truth”. what happened to the edit button?
Am not Dr drey
You think this is where agents will come and waste their time na, nobody can come clean without receiving hate from some section of ignorant people who have never come close with the footballing unit before. Alot of you still know nothing about how football is been ran you only read CS and watch the game that’s all. It is this reasons that is why I don’t want you all to digest just anything that comes your way.
Chima Samuel There are many things you say here that are wrong, but I will never call you names, calling me mumu cannot change my opinion, be civil enough not be calling people names.
I called you out because you are attributing myself and some humble contributor to drey, which doesn’t make sense to me or the aforementioned guys. We can not think the same way after different experience what you think is wrong for you is right for me. So saying we attack drey or someone is agent is far way to go. Drey knows the people who he is playing hanky panky with on the page so don’t say what you know nothing about.
you re wasting your time here? pls leave
Oga sir which dr drey are you talking about the fake or the original don’t allow them to fool u
@Toni be a respectful indigene and not be so stupid as to judge a man you barely know or how it all played, he’s refused to mention names cause it wouldn’t matter much now. Can’t you respect that at least,people like you tend to be focused on other people’s failures like any of that is gonna make you successful. The positive thing here is to better the system for the young generations you’re here being stupid silly monkey
There is no point hidding the identity of corrupt coaches in Nigeria.He(Udoji) should mention names of corrupt coaches, It will go a long way in helping our football.
Thank you my brother. We should encourage these guys to speak out, no matter whose ox is gored. Speak out, name names. The last time the likes of Ideye, Taiwo, Osaze spoke out and named names people started accusing them of not having respect for the dead. Instead of setting up commissions of inquiry to investigate these things in order to forestall future occurrences, we attach sentiments to it and shout the victims down and then more people become victims….and then when our U20s line up and play crap football, we cry. When our u17s line up and we don’t see anybody from our state (like @jimmyball) we cry. But when victims of these dirty habits were speaking out…we were the ones shouting them down and sending them death threats on social media. This is not about the dead its about those of us who are still living and about ridding outs such practices in our football.
Its a FACT, most local coaches demand percentages of earnings from players/agents to get invites. That’s why they go to tournaments with a 1st XI, 3 quality substitutes players and 8 clappers. We know these things if we want to be truthful to ourselves.
I will gore your ox you creep. Coming here talking like a football analyst, who the hell do you think you are, punk? Get back into your cage you gorilla from Manilla. Next time I see your comment here, I will tear you limb from limb. Just ask yourself one question, do I feel lucky? Do you, punk? Because you are not going to feel so lucky when I rip your heart out. Punk.
Clint Eastwood don enter CSN. I laugh Aztec-ically 🙂 🙂 🙂
Who’s next. Marlon Brando? Make them an offer they can’t refuse…..
Hehehehe….This one na clint-d-drunk o. When person don receive special delivery of Cotonou weed, na small e go remain make e nor climb 33KVA pole
Hahahahaha!!!!! Person no go laff tire.
Weed Na Bad Thing oo
Please whose names did they mention? and share the article with us
@Dr.Drey… I follow you. Nigeria is only truly second to Brazil in football talent. Infact at youth level, we can stand shoulder to shoulder with the land of Samba… see, I know the best way to pick talents for U-17 is spend money and organise principal cup from states to National finals level. If money is put into that venture… we will always get a crack team. Let the best U-15s from the states schools compete and progress by elimination till we come up with about 16 state teams to play a national final to be televised on national TV… my brother we will pick the best U-17 to represent Nigeria the following two years… I believe so much in Benue, Kano, Gombe, Kaduna and Plateau that these states will likely dominate any such national grassroot event… those Northern states listed are where you will find the most audacious youth football talents in the country… I can bet my balls on that! Lol… I have played football through all those states!
We should check the timeline, who were the coaches of our national teams in 2005 to 2006 before this guy switched his allegiance to Bulgaria.
We can check the timeline again from 2007 to 2009 who were the coaches of our national teams then, for me this guy was never a national team material, but u can never trust Nigeria coaches, this guy is not lying.
https://goalballlive.com/super-eagles-coach/
All those that were the coach of the SE during that time are all suspects.
Kudos to Udoji for having the courage to come out with this revelation.
However, for it to really benefit our football, we need the name(s). Let them be publicly exposed and shamed, even banned.
What is the point of shouting rape if the identity of the rapist is not revealed?
Without the names, the offenders will continue with their iniquities. Naming them is the first step to stopping them.
Peace.
20% wow wonders shall never cease!well are we surprised?
In Nigeria it’s a culture anyways so pardon me for the phrase used above haha..I won’t be surprised a home based coach was in charge when Udoji was active or the demands was made by assistants working under a foreign coach vice versa.
Nigeria’s football started going downhill when local coaches took charge of our football from the year 2002.All sorts of damage happened to our football,it’s a shame we as a people are our own enemy.What we have experienced in our sports under local managers is similar to what happens in other spheres of the country.Its just the Nigerian thing.
Gradually the names of the perpetrators of this heinous crime will be revealed.