August 14, 2010

Samson Siasia is most likely to become the highest paid indigenous coach in Nigeria after a top official informed MTNFootball.com the former international could eventually pocket a salary of around $35,000 (about five million naira) a month.

The board of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) initially offered Siasia a salary of two million naira (about $14,000) before it was increased to three million naira.

Siasia himself had first asked for a monthly pay of $100,000 (about 15 million naira), before he lowered his expectations to 12 million naira.

However, a top NFF official told MTNFootball.com that the middle ground of this negotiation would be around five million naira.

"I believe if the money is jerked up to at least five million naira, Siasia would consider it with a little more pressure. Even with that five million, I still believe the amount is small," hinted the official, who was part of Wednesday's board meeting.

This amount is more than double what Shuaibu Amodu was paid when he was in charge of the Super Eagles between April 2008 and February 2010.

Siasia will therefore become the best paid local coach in Nigeria ever, even though this figure is still far off the $50,000-a-month the German Berti Vogts received two years ago.

Both Lars Lagerback and Vogts' contracts were financed outside the NFF by sponsors and the Presidential Task Force (PTF).

The NFF board have now set up a three-man negotiating team to reach an agreement with Siasia.