A former England international has unraveled the secret behind the Chelsea forward's decision to shun Gernot Rohr's invitation and feature for the Three Lions.
Ex-Wimbledon striker John Fashanu has revealed that financial considerations played a huge part in Tammy Abraham's choice of turning out for Gareth Southgate's side and not the Super Eagles.
The one-time Super Eagles hopeful who later played a few games for England lambasted Nigeria football administrators for providing poor welfare packages for retired professionals, while insisting that Nigeria stars abroad would always chose their adopted countries simply because of the welfare benefits.
“Till today, I still get my benefits, my pensions. I get N5m monthly as pensions for being an ex-footballer in England and I am now in my 50s,” Fashanu told the DailyTrust as monitored by Soccernet.ng.
“Tammy knows why he hasn’t played for the Super Eagles and it’s because there is more financial benefits playing for England, there is more glory and less wahala.
“Why do we ask the boy to play for Nigeria and torture him? We need to step up. Tammy is a massive miss for Nigeria.
“Nobody went to London to talk to him and explain to him the benefits of playing for his motherland.
“And when you hear what happened to Kanu Nwankwo, Jay Jay Okocha, did anybody come out to defend him over his tax bills, did anybody come out to defend Kanu when he had issues with his hotel,” he concluded.
mister man u are a big fool after u play for england why cant u stay they an why are u puthing ur eyes in nigeria foothball pls go to england an tell them what to do it is ur country
Mr Ikenna Augustine Agu, honestly, you lack knowledge big time. You are insulting John who just said the truth. Infact let me not waste my time with a person.
We have many of them back home begging for recognition but no one cares, Yong men ready to give all, no body is seeing them, you don’t know what they pass through to gain your attention or to be seen by you. He made his choice, so let him be . I want you to know that we have millions of him back home, if only we can recognize and help them.
He make his decision to play for england so let him be, God bless us all
Let him play for England no problem,super eagles is still winning there matches. [one tree cannot make a forest]
Nigerian football federation need to learn from other countries, they should learn how to take care of their present and x footballers, look at what happened to Rashid Yekini ,thete ate some of our ex footballers begging for money b4 they could live I think that is One of the reasons our players are choosing where ever they are over Nigeria.
NFF listen and learn from other FOOTBALL FEDERATION,Fashanu John is right
Present or ex Footballers have no particular or exceptional right to be taken care of more than ordinary citizens.
Much as i love the gane and the national team, its not as if rhey webt to war. Realisy check; , they played football which they love and were paid to do by both club and country abd handsomely too. When trophies wete won they were rewarded. NFF doesn’t even have a duty to to advise footbalers to invest and abd save theie money. There are advisory bodies that can be set up by Playees Unions etc.. Why do you have to be told that anyway
Noone needs to travel to England to tell Tammy Abraham or Tomori about the glory of playing for Nigeria. He has parents like Iwobi does and grew up in a Nigerian home. He diesnt need a seminar to know about JJ Okocha or Kanu. I dont think anyone asked Fashanu himself to return to Nigeria
Tammy’s absence is an opportunity for others to shine, but it is a lesson for organizers of Nigeria soccer to improve. We need to create an environment for talents of our generation to come together to fellowship and uplift Nigeria through soccer. Alaba in Bayern fc said corruption in NFA prevented him from playing for his motheeland. We need to improve.
Xfootballers must run and administer that federation not old fools who never kick a soccer ball. Those old fools must look after their goats,cattle and sheep if any