Timeline of the breakdown of negotiations for Labbadia to be the new coach of the Super Eagles, including the names of his assistants

It is no longer news that Bruno Labbadia has turned down the opportunity to be the new coach of the Nigeria senior national team, leaving the team without a substantial coach seven days before the AFCON 2025 qualifiers against Benin Republic and Rwanda respectively.

Labbadia has backtracked on an agreement in principle to replace Finidi George as the new coach of the Nigerian senior national team, citing a breakdown in talks despite the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) announcing that he is the new coach.

German publication Kicker, which broke the news of the breakdown in negotiations, cited reasons that have now been refuted by a member of the NFF’s media department.

Compliance with contractual terms: The documents confirm that the NFF complied with all contractual requirements stipulated in the agreement with Bruno Labbadia. According to these documents:

Finalization of the contract: All terms stipulated in the contract between Labbadia and the NFF were satisfactorily fulfilled before tax-related issues arose. This includes the completion of the necessary paperwork and logistical arrangements for Labbadia and his team*

Arrival and squad details: Labbadia is scheduled to arrive in Abuja, Nigeria, on Friday with three assistant coaches: Bernhard Trares, Thies Bliemeister and Richard Osaboya Krohn. The contractual terms explicitly allowed for the presence of three assistant coaches, something that has been respected.

Visa procedures:

Visa Processing: The NFF has coordinated with the Nigerian Immigration Service to ensure that Labbadia and his team receive their 14-day visa upon arrival at Abuja’s Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport. The visa, valid until 13 September, was processed well in advance of Labbadia’s arrival.

Biometric Requirements: The team is expected to complete the biometric process at the Visa on Arrival (VoA) hall to secure their printed visas, with all arrangements confirmed by DCI DO Adebambo, Special Assistant to the Comptroller General.

Emergence of tax controversies:

Details of the dispute: A conflict arose on Wednesday when Labbadia asked the NFF to cover his tax obligations in Germany. The NFF considered this request unreasonable and refused to pay the taxes, leading to the current dispute. This issue came to light only after all contractual obligations had been fulfilled.

The Federation’s position: The NFF’s refusal to cover Labbadia’s tax payments is based on its view that such a demand is not part of the agreed contract. The Federation maintains that it complied with all specified contractual terms.

Additional provisions:

Additional staff: While the contract specified that Labbadia would bring in three assistant coaches, the NFF also decided to add a goalkeeping coach and an additional assistant coach. This decision was taken by the federation to improve the team’s support staff.

Conclusion:

The claim that the NFF failed to meet its contractual obligations prior to the tax dispute is inaccurate. The evidence indicates that the NFF fulfilled all contractual terms with Bruno Labbadia before the tax dispute arose. The issue of tax payments arose only after these obligations were met, and the NFF’s decisions on additional staffing were part of the initial contract.

Had Bruno Labbadia not agreed to the details of the contract, he would not have submitted the documents or completed the visa procedures for himself and his technical team. A subsequent investigation showed that he submitted the 23-man list for the Super Eagles’ matches against Benin Republic and Rwanda.