Randy Waldrum Blames Poor Support and Delayed Salaries for Super Falcons Struggles

Former Super Falcons coach Randy Waldrum has opened up about his time in charge of Nigeria’s women’s national team, saying the Nigeria Football Federation made things difficult with poor planning and long delays in salary payments.

In an interview with Eagles Tracker, the American coach revealed that he once went 14 months without being paid and had to keep his job in the United States to avoid losing his home.

“I read all the stories about coaches not being paid on time in Nigeria, and I was worried. In the US, you have bills to pay monthly. If I didn’t have my job in Pittsburgh, I could’ve lost my house,” Waldrum said.

He also explained that while many questioned why he was working two jobs, it was the only way he could protect himself.

“I was fully committed to Nigeria. The Falcons were never second to Pittsburgh in my four years there. But I needed that security, especially when I wasn’t paid for over a year.”

Waldrum took over the Super Falcons in 2020 and helped the team qualify for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2024 Olympics. He stepped down to care for his wife, who had heart surgery.

Despite the success, he said his plans to build something long-term in Nigeria were not supported.

“I had a 10-year plan to improve youth football and build towards winning the World Cup. Nigeria has great players, and I thought I could help by bringing in new ideas. But there were so many challenges,” he added.

Waldrum also warned that Nigeria could soon lose their place as a top team in African football if more is not done to improve the country’s football structure.

“It’s easy to sack coaches when they don’t win, but without investment and planning, it will be hard to keep winning,” he said.

He praised countries like Morocco, South Africa, and Ivory Coast for building strong football programmes, warning that Nigeria is falling behind.

“Morocco’s national training centre is one of the best in the world. They’ve invested in their football, and now they are seeing results. Nigeria cannot rely on past glory. One day, they might not even qualify for the World Cup if things don’t change.”

The Super Falcons are now led by coach Justin Madugu and will begin their WAFCON campaign against Tunisia on July 6, followed by matches against Botswana and Algeria.