Nigeria U23s Cannot Pay For Bus For Training; Mikel Handling Transportation, Feeding Expenses

Allnigeriasoccer.com can exclusively report that the Dream Team VI players skipped their scheduled workout yet again on Saturday, July 30 because none of the invited foreign-based professionals agreed to pick up the tab for the hiring of a bus to take the team to the training ground.

While it has been independently confirmed that John Obi Mikel did not donate $30,000 to the team, this website understands that the Chelsea midfielder has paid the transportation expenses incurred by the team since he arrived in Atlanta.

In addition, the Team Nigeria captain has been handling the feeding expenses of the players in camp and it remains unclear if he will be reimbursed by the Nigerian Federation or Sports Ministry.

On July 27, the Nigeria U23s faced an African XI in a training game, did not train the following day, before returning to the pitch for a workout on Friday, meaning they have only trained once since Wednesday.

 A team official (thought to be the Media Officer Timi Ebikagboro) has told the local media with pride that they have changed to a better hotel pending their departure, but conveniently left out the fact that they had to check out of the hotel on the same day they were due to fly out to Rio or they would have been bundled out of the premises.

Without mincing words, the players said they are suffering in camp and nobody should expect a miracle from them when the Games begin this week.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

Photo Credit : thenff.com