Super Falcons are bound for the 2023 FIFA World Cup but there is fire on the mountain in the team's camp following a war of words between coach Randy Waldrum and his employers, the NFF.
Super Falcons boss Randy Waldrum has been left frustrated and shocked by his employers at the NFF.
Waldrum and the Super Falcons are set for the FIFA Women's World Cup final slated for New Zealand and Australia next month.
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Waldrum cries for help
The American coach has already named his 23-woman squad for the global showpiece.
However, according to a post by Eaglestracker on Twitter, the coach is not happy with the level of support from his employers the NFF.
Coach Waldrum has taken an unconventional route to making his frustration known in what has turned into a war of words with the football governing body in Nigeria.
Speaking on the situation, the experienced coach said that his Falcons are not prepared for the football fiesta.
“I know we are not prepared the way we need to be,” he said in the post.
“(I have) been very frustrated with the Federation and the lack of support.”
“We are supposed to have a camp for 10-12 days in Nigeria before going to Australia for another 10-15 days. But the Federation cancelled the camp in Nigeria.”
“We have fewer days than a college preseason to prepare for the World Up and it blows my mind because we have known about this since last year.”
Speaking further, coach Waldrum revealed that his Falcons have not been paid since the last WAFCON.
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“After the loss in Morocco (WAFCON 2022), the players hadn't been paid so they boycotted training before the match against Zambia,” he added.
“My backup goalkeeper Tochukwu Oluehi spoke to the Federation about not getting paid and they didn't like how she spoke so they dismissed her from the national team. They eventually let her back only if she wrote an apology letter.”
“They wanted me to pick a goalkeeper from Nigeria for the World Cup that I have never seen, has never been in one of our camps, I said no, that my contract saysbinoixk my teams. So, they retaliated and said I can't take my assistant coach Lauren Gregg.”
NFF hits back
In a swift reaction, the NFF has responded to Waldrum’s accusation through its Spokesperson Ademola Olajire.
According to the NFF, on the camp issue, Waldrum did not need a camp with home-based players having released is final list for the tournament.
“We have to first ask when the European season ended,” NFF stated.
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“The man wanted a two-week camping for only home-based professionals in his provisional list. Like two weeks ago, he released his final list meaning there was no need to any camping for home-based players again.”
In their statement, the NFF added that they made Waldrum understand that it would make more sense for his final squad to go straight into camping in Australia while also grooming a home-based goalkeeper as an understudy to Chiamaka Nnadozie.
NFF concluded by describing Waldrum’s outbursts as an “afterthought”.
The Super Falcons are expected to depart for the World Cup in three days according to the NFF.
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