By Onochie Anibeze
Samson Siasia may leave the offices of Nigeria Football Association today happier than he was last week when they could not conclude on remuneration terms for him as the new coach of the Eagles.

siasia

He had asked for a $100,000 a month salary and the FA offered $20,000. They did not agree before  Siasia  scurried to Egypt for a Champions League tie against Ismaily of Egypt. He is on a six month contract with Heartland FC of Owerri but would handover to assistant Emeka Ezeugo if he reaches an agreement with the FA today. He is likely to do so.

Nigeria had paid Lars Lagerback $300,000 a month and that excluded tax and other allowances that were not part of his salary but which were shouldered by the FA. Lagerback’s salary amounted to $1.3 million in five months. The total package was over $3m for five months. His salary was backed by the Presidential Task Force that insisted that the Presidency wanted a foreign coach for Nigeria.

Siasia, in asking for a $1.2 million a year, argued that if Nigeria could pay Lagerback that much there should be no problem in meeting his terms which were lower than those of the Swede who failed with the Eagles, losing two matches and drawing one.

Daniel Amokachi, one of Lagerback’s assistants, last week revealed that the Swede had very poor work relationship with all the Nigerian assistants. In spite of the fact that Lagerback was new on his job he did not consult them in team selection or tactics and committed avoidable blunders that made Nigeria look awful.

“I’ll continue talks with the FA tomorrow (today) and we are likely to reach agreement,” Siasia told this reporter yesterday, adding “everything will be okay. The important thing is reviving Eagles”.

The agreement would be for the FA to offer more than $20,000 a month and for Siasia to come down on $100,000 a month demand. The FA would not have problems with other issues bordering on welfare like car, a driver, holiday, a cook, a house and a gardener.

Siasia’s lawyer Austin Ijere had said that his client considered the foreign coaches he would engage in making his demands. The FA appears to understand and will likely consider that too. They will reach a compromise for work to start.