NFF Queries Waldrum for Publicly Criticizing Them
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has issued a formal query to Head Coach Randy Waldrum of the Super Falcons, following his public remarks that disregarded the proper channels specified in his contract.
Dr. Muhammed Sanusi, the General Secretary of the NFF, revealed in an exclusive interview with Prompt News that Waldrum had exceeded the boundaries by falsely accusing the football governing body of imposing players on him for the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, scheduled to commence on July 20th.
According to Sanusi, during a previous meeting, the coach was specifically requested to submit his program for the World Cup, but he declined to do so. Surprisingly, he later submitted a list of 23 players for the tournament, including 4 goalkeepers.
“Is there any precedent for a football tournament organized by CAF/FIFA that featured 4 goalkeepers? Waldrum even excluded Francisca Ordega to accommodate the fourth goalkeeper on his list. Despite our intervention, he adamantly insisted on taking 4 goalkeepers to the World Cup,” Sanusi expressed.
Consequently, the federation made a decision and directed him to remove the fourth goalkeeper from the list and reinstate Ordega, who is a striker, back into the squad. Additionally, Waldrum insisted that the training camp should consist solely of home-based players from Nigeria.
Notably, his submission indicated that none of his Nigerian assistant coaches, with the exception of the American coach he had brought in, would be present on the bench during the World Cup.
“The federation duly informed him that the said American coach has no contractual agreement with the NFF. After carefully reviewing his submission, the federation arrived at a decision that the Super Falcons should undergo a 15-day training camp in Australia, the designated host country for the World Cup. Our objective is not to impose but rather to ensure the team leaves a lasting impact,” Sanusi elaborated.
Furthermore, the Secretary of the Federation assured that all necessary provisions and support required for a successful campaign in Australia have been diligently provided.
