Former Taifa Stars Coach Amunike Takes Tanzania FA To Court

Former Tanzania national team head coach Emmanuel Amunike has dragged the national federation to court over failure to pay the money he believes he is owed.

Amunike, who is ex-Nigeria international, has opted to seek justice at FIFA’s Dispute Resolution Chambers as Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) has failed to settle his contractual entitlements following the two parties’ mutual agreement to terminate the remainder of his contract.

This happened soon after the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations where Tanzania crashed out from the group stage after losing all three matches.

The 48-year-old is reported to be demanding $ 900,000 as compensation, an amount equivalent to the remainder of his two-year contract which was to run until 2020.

“Yes, it is true that I have not been settled what I am entitled to in my contract with the Tanzanian FA. I have already asked FIFA to help me intervene on the matter,” he told THISDAY.

[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””] “It is left for FIFA to decide whether it is right to terminate a contract without any payment as stated in the contract we signed.”   [/perfectpullquote]

Amunike, a former Nigeria and Barcelona player, was the assistant coach when Nigeria won the FIFA U-17 World Cup trophy for a record fourth time in the United Arab Emirates in 2013.

Two years later, Amunike led Nigeria to a fifth U-17 World Cup title in Chile and, revered as a proven youth manager, he was swiftly promoted to coach the U-20 side.

As a player, he was a key part of the Super Eagles team, scoring both goals at the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia where Nigeria beat Zambia 2-1 to secure their second African title. He also played at the 1994 World Cup – scoring memorable goals against Bulgaria and Italy.

His clubs included Egyptian side Zamalek, and he played at European football heavyweights FC Barcelona and Portugal’s Sporting Club.