By Amaechi Agbo

Rangers of Scotland defender and Super Eagles vice captain, Leon Balogun has stated that he is “not a troublemaker”, Bestchoicesport.com.ng can report

The former Wigan Athletic of England star disclosed this on a radio programme where he criticised the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF for owing the players as well as not providing the needed infrastructure and environment for the team to succeed.

Balogun who noted that the NFF have not paid the Super Eagles match bonuses recently, added that the issue was no longer a secret.

“Then you spoke of the unpaid bonuses. It is not a secret even and I have read something recently where the people in charge they contradict themselves and said things have been paid.

“Everybody is so concerned about the look of Nigeria, you have to represent Nigeria well and don’t embarrass Nigeria but you should not embarrass Nigeria with your own actions

“It is a culture of a thing to show respect in this kind of a thing but I am not afraid to speak my mind even if it is with the coach or the manager.

“I feel that something is wrong, I might at a point talk about it and it is always as if ‘this boy is a troublemaker’.

“I am not a troublemaker because at the end of the day I stand with my teammates, I do that with pleasure.

“It is always motivated by personal issues. There is a lot of work to do,” he concluded.

Balogun’s statement may not go down well with the NFF officials who are always critical of the players speaking against the federation or how the team are being handled.

Recent “negative” comments against the federation or the team by players have always met a reaction from the NFF.

Former Super Eagles goalkeeper, Vincent Enyema was dropped in the match against Madagascar in the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier after he expressed concerns over the travelling arrangements for the team to fly on a bigger aircraft directly to Antananarivo, rather than the chartered flight that would stop over in Congo Brazzaville.

Coach of the side, Samson Siasia immediately dropped him from the team stressing that his “act of indiscipline was totally unacceptable.”

It took Enyeama’s apologies to the Federation and the coach before he was recalled.