In an interview with the John Krysinsky Podcast, Super Falcons coach, Randy Waldrum, expressed his concerns about the team’s preparation for the upcoming Women’s World Cup.
As the team prepared to depart for a training camp in Australia, Coach Waldrum criticized the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) for their lack of support.
He revealed that the team had not received their payments following their loss in the 2022 Women’s African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) Final in Morocco. This resulted in a training boycott before the match against Zambia.
One particular incident involved Tochukwu Oluehi, the backup goalkeeper, who had a conversation with the federation regarding the payment issue.
Unfortunately, her approach was met with an unfavorable response, leading to her dismissal from the national team.
Although she was eventually allowed to return after writing an apology letter, the incident added to the team’s discontent.
Coach Waldrum also expressed disappointment over the NFF’s insistence on selecting a goalkeeper from Nigeria without his input, even though he had never seen this player before.
Head Coach, Randy Waldrum explains how the NFF is actively making things difficult for the Super Falcons ahead of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
What do you think of our chances heading into the tournament ? 🤔 #SuperFalcons #EaglesTracker 🦅🇳🇬 pic.twitter.com/KxNZWuQoAP
— Home of Nigerian Football (@EaglesTrackerNG) June 29, 2023
He cited the terms of his contract, which granted him the authority to choose his team. In response, the federation prohibited him from bringing his assistant coach, Lauren Gregg, to the World Cup.
These issues, including canceled training camps, payment disputes, and conflicts between the coach and the federation, have overshadowed the Super Falcons’ preparations for the Women’s World Cup.
It remains to be seen how these challenges will affect the team’s performance and cohesion in the upcoming tournament.