THe Zambian government has put an “attractive package” on the table
for the national soccer team to take if it retains the African Cup of
Nations.
Zambia is in Group C with Burkina Faso, Ethiopia and Nigeria and the
country’s Minister of Sports and Youth Chishimba Kambwili said Nigeria’s
offer of US$100,000 each to the Super Eagles players is a sign of
panic.
Nigerian players have been promised US$100,000 (about N1.6m)) each if
they win the championship slated for January 19 to February 10 in South
Africa. This is the same amount the Zambian government gave the
Chipolopolo players for winning the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations co-hosted
by Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.
“The stage has been set for our team and I can assure the nation that
the players have been given good bonuses. For Nigeria, they are just
playing mind games with the money strategy because they are scared,” he
said.
Kambwili said the government is confident the championship will
return to Zambia and the players will get the “cash bonanza”, whose
value he declined to state.
He also disclosed that through the Football Association of Zambia
(FAZ), the players have already been told the monetary gain if they win.