NFF v Waldrum face-off: Eguavoen explains why Super Falcons coach was not sacked

The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF has explained why the head coach of Super Falcons, Randy Waldrum, was not sacked after he publicly criticized the Federation.  

NFF's Technical Director, Augustine Eguavoen, on Saturday in Abuja, says though they are not comfortable with Waldrum’s altercations, they will give him the support he needs to succeed at the FIFA Women’s World Cup, 2023.

"I am not comfortable with what I’ve been reading. I spoke with him. He apologized, he said he didn’t mean it that way. He felt if he speaks with a couple of people things will change, but it is not like that here, Nigeria is different, and Africa is different," Eguavoen told reporters.

"But we have to do the right thing now, I’ve told him to just remain focused and forget about every other thing. 

"Then as soon as the World Cup ends, we know what to do because everything coming up every now and then is a distraction for him and the team."

Eguavoen who spoke with journalists at the end of a FIFA Instructor’s Course held in Abuja on Saturday, however, believes the Super Falcons will still go far at the World Cup despite the off-field issues.

"I’m very optimistic that they will perform well. The first game is always very important. the first game will determine how far we will go.

"If anything goes wrong in the first game, then the team becomes jittery, but with the caliber of players we have, I think they are good enough to handle any kind of pressure and I’m looking at a very good performance."

The American-born coach, Waldrum, has been on the warpath with his employers, the NFF, over what he described as inadequate preparation of his team with barely weeks to the kick-off of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

The Super Falcons are in Group B, alongside Canada, host Australia, and the Republic of Ireland. The tournament kicks off on July 20th, 2023.

As part of their preparations for their World Cup opener against Canada, the Super Falcons thrashed Australian club, Lions FC 8-1 in a friendly in Gold Coast on Saturday

Asisat Oshoala (2), Ifeoma Onumonu, Toni Payne, Rasheedat Ajibade, Halimatu Ayinde, Uchenna Kanu and Gift Monday were on the scoresheet for the African powerhouse. 
 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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