Since the Nigeria Football Federation announced that it would no longer pay match bonus and camping allowances to all the age-grade national teams, the decision has not gone down well with some of the affected coaches who have condemned the decision of the Executive Committee of the NFF.

At a board meeting in Asaba on Tuesday, Nigerian football’s honchos took the decision abolishing match bonuses for the national U-23 and other age-grade teams like the Golden Eaglets, the Flying Eagles as well as the Flamingoes and Falconets.

The NFF argued that the affected national teams are for developmental purposes as such emphasis should not be laid on player’s making money whenever they represent the nation saying only qualification bonuses would be paid to them.

However, in a swift reaction, a coach with one of the junior national teams who spoke to Daily Trust on Thursday, on condition of anonymity, expressed shock and disappointment at the decision of the NFF.

The coach wondered if the football federation considered the negative effect of the decision on the performance of the players and officials who sacrifice a lot to win laurels for the country.

According to him, the NFF should have known that some of the players as young as they may be the breadwinners for their families.

He maintained that apart from the players, the take-home pay of the handlers of the cadet national teams is usually nothing to write home about.

“I received the news with shock and disappointment. I don’t think they really want to encourage the players and coaches of these youth teams.

“Although the money is usually small, it goes a long way in helping the families of these players and their officials.

“Imagine how much even the coaches are paid as salaries which is often times irregular and then they have decided to do away with match bonuses. This decision will not help the growth of Nigerian football,” he stated.