Nigeria’s Super Falcons have arrived the country following their ouster from the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The nine-time African champions were knocked out of the competition in the Round of 16 by the Three Lionesses of England.
Randy Waldrum’s side put up a spirited display against the European champions but bowed out of the competition 4-2 on penalties.
Head coach Waldrum left few hours after the team’s elimination with the diaspora players.
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Players who left with the 66-year-old to the United States of America are, Michelle Alozie, Jennifer Echegini, Esther Okoronkwo, Ifeoma Onumonu, Deborah Abiodun and Toni Payne.
Former Leicester City defender, Ashleigh Plumptre also headed out to the United Kingdom.
Some members of the team including Asisat Oshoala, Rasheedat Ajibade, Osinachi, Chiamaka Nnadozie, Gift Monday and Rofiat Imuran arrived the Muritala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos on Wednesday night.
They were received on arrival at the airport by Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) board member, Ganiu Majekodunmi, Chairman Lagos Football Association, Faoud Oki and other top dignatries.
The Super Falcons lost once in Australia and New Zealand, winning one and drawing their two other games.
33 Comments
Those Falcons arrIving Abuja are not likely to eeceive transport money back to their bases in Europe. Don’t we know the NFF?
Gradually things like this have become a disease that plagues us in any international competition. We repeat the same mistakes all the time, what does this tell us, simple, it shows that the root is rotten and there has to be uprooting and replanting.
Just imagine if those girls actually camped 2 weeks in Nigeria before the 15 days in Australia, how things would have been? All the friendlies they played they never stayed together up to 5 days.Compared to those days when Super Falcons were in camp for 2 to 3 months.
we will play quality football with these girls if they can be together long enough.
We have to start by correcting how we chose our leaders, coaches, and administrators. Allowing politicians with fake results/certificates to direct our affairs will only come out fake too.
We did not know Coach Waldrum could impact the girls until they were together for just 15 days.
What Nigerians may not have known before is how FIFA gave all the countries money to prepare for the world cup. Do not ask me what happened to ours.
@philipido, camping fir 2-3 months?! Abegi try to join us in 2023…LMAO!!
This is not our parents’ time, when virtually all of the players were home-based and our senior national teams could camp for several months at a time. These days, virtually all of the Falcons players (except for perhaps 1 or 2 at any time) are based abroad and therefore can only be released by their clubs according to the FIFA Calendar and are thus available for a few days of training before each international game. It’s the price of SUCCESS!
Meanwhile, Randy Waldrum did NOT only have 15 days to coach the Super Falcons before the WC, but THREE YEARS!
I am not oblivious of the times, what I was trying to explain was the responsibility of the Nff to effectively harness our potentials.Look at the three years you mentioned it was bedeviled by the nff top shots pushing up players here and there for the team. Players they know were not up to that scale yet.Coupled with not paying their coaches.Look at Nigeria Wrestling Federation driven by the passionate Dr. Daniel Igali, their results attest to their commitment.This is the kind of drive we need in our football house.
The Falcons drew 2 games and won 1 at the group stage. The drew 1 game at the knockout stage, but exited on penalty kicks. In terms of points scoring, a draw at full or extra time is counted as a draw.
Completesports.com please note and correct.
This cut and join sports journalism. Penalties defeats do not count as losses please. The Falcons did not lose any match in the competition
Ademola Olajire, NFF’s communications director, called Waldrum a “blabbermouth” and the “worst Super Falcons coach in history” – The Guardian
That man Olajire is a huge disappointment. I expected so much more from him.
Under normal circumstances, the coach and the entire team should have come back to Nigeria to be welcomed by the NFF and later hosted by the state governor and perhaps even the president. But circumstances are anything but normal.
The players that came back to Nigeria likely came to see their families and handle other personal matters before heading back to base.
Hosted by the President for reaching the round of 16? Nawa for you o
Dem no try? You wan win world cup with this NFF?
They tried abeg. If we invest properly in the game, then we can expect more from our teams.
Even though they did not win, their performance and general behaviour has been huge for Nigeria’s image. Everywhere you go online, Nigeria is being spoken of with respect and admiration. The NFF remains a monumental disgrace to the country, but the SF have really helped to polish up Nigeria’s image.
Dr. Banks we can’t win table soccer with this NFF. It was the money from FIFA that motivated these ladies to give their all for the country. And yes indeed like my guy Mainasara Hilo will say. Yes indeed they put Nigeria on the map.
Did President Obasanjo not host the Falcons set of 1999 after crashing out of the WWC in R16…???
I TIRE @DEO and I THOUGHT WE had DR BANKS. Which one come be DR BANK again?
Na wa o….
The 1999 got to the QF, the farthest any Falcons team ever has gotten to (albeit in those days the WC had fewer teams and therefore played fewer rounds). Nonetheless, most of the teams are already preparing for the new season and do doubt the players will enjoy much of a (if any) meaningful time off.
The QF match of 1999 (our 4th match of the tournament) is synonymous with the R16 match (our 4th match of the tournament) we played against England in 2023. And the last time I checked; we didn’t even see that match to penalty kicks. So 2023 has invariably become the farthest we went. A reception and show of appreciation, especially when we were all braced up for disgrace ab initio, wouldn’t have been out of place.
1 or 2 days of being hosted to a reception by a nation’s head of state has never killed any player since the history of the game, and neither has it gotten any player fired from his club right in the middle of the end-of-season holidays.
If the team had gone on to win the trophy, wouldn’t the players have had the time to attend a reception ceremony…? Or would they have turned it down because of some fallacious preparations for a new season when the women’s football season only winded down less than 4 weeks ago….?
We dont show our players any form of respect and appreciation, the basics of what they need to deliver we don’t give them, hiding our incompetence and sheer irresponsibility and anyhowness under the shameful toga of being “a third world nation”, as if being 3rd world also affects our thinking faculties and makes us less humans such that we dont know certain basics that need to done at various points in time, yet we aspire to achieve what and more of what those who are providing such of their own players are achieving.
In that case, We are probably the biggest thieves in the world. The ones who want to reap where we have not sown. And somehow, God just keeps helping us to get away with it. But I am sure our luck is already running dry these days.
A national women’s basketball team that was hurriedly assembled in 2 weeks with a rookie coach hurriedly appointed a month ago, just breezed past all others on the continent to claim a 4th title back to back…its running to a week now and we have not heard the government dole out any rewards to the team for such an incredible feat. But senators are sharing billions of naira for holidays, in the same 3rd world country that cannot provide enough beds for its athletes nor pay their camp and match bonuses for years. But we expect the players keep quiet and never complain, be beaten and battered and not cry and move mountains for us at competitions, and when they don’t, we want to render them as charity cases who should be groveling at our feet for us allowing them to represent us.
In truth, the one who has head has no cap, while the one who has a cap has no head. We surely and apparently dont deserve all that God has blessed us with.
Dr. Drey, I already noted that the WC 1999 had fewer teams and thus fewer rounds (of course there are those who would argue that fewer teams translates to stronger/better teams, but that’s a different discourse). Nevertheless, the record books will always show that the farthest Nigeria has ever advanced in the WWC was the QF in 1999.
That’s the OFFICIAL record, not a matter of social media debate.
God bless you, @Dr. Bank. No wonder we haven’t achieved much in football.
We lost against the English team because our coaching crew did not believe they could beat England. He did the same thing against Canada.
We lost that match because we did not believe in our ability.
We lost that much because the gaffer did not believe in Gift Monday and Oparanozie.
Simply put, we lost the match because of the wrong selections of the coaching crew shikena.
If you are doubt, go back and watch the highlights of the match. Our ladies played their hearts out kę.
Club football or where you play doesn’t matter sometimes, but your qualities do. Oparanozie is way ahead of Asisat Oshoala and Onumonu, but the coach did not believe in Oparanozie.
Asisat had injury and was playing with pain while our most experienced striker, Oparanozie was declared fit a day before Australia match and she could not play against Ireland and the coach just decided to use her against England?
Did Super Falcons practice penalties? I doubt.
We only believe in strength and speed, but smartness is key to success.
English team knew that if they could not win during the 90 minutes, then they had to win when it came to penalties, and they won in the end.
More so, our players, both male and female, have to learn how to think quickly when they have the ball. That is letting our team down.
We could see in Ashley Plumptre football sense and the unique way she had two chances in the 18-yard box and the way she managed those two chances. Kai.
Alozie missed a goal chance because she was in a rush, and she knew that.
Onumonu is not a defender but a striker. She’s trying, but I think Ariyo is better, but coach Waldrum only used her once. I am not condemning the effort of our ladies, but I am just pointing out the loopholes in the team.
We were playing 10 players as if we were the ones under pressure. That wasn’t impressive kę.
I appreciate what the team were able to achieve in this year women world cup, but the gaffer letting themselves down against the English team.
If we could not beat that England 10 players team and still be proud that we did well at the World Cup, then I am deeply sorry for we Africans. We have to dream big if we have to be among the best in the world. Thank you, Dr. Bank for saying the bitter truth, I know many of us won’t like it, but I omo9ja appreciate your concerns. “Hosted by the President for reaching the round of 16”? Simple and classic. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!
Opara is not our best striker. Young gatlana of SA have won individual honors as a striker together with oshoala tell me wat has opara won for many years he has been hanging around. Ajibade of just ystrday footballer has acheive more than her
Oparanozie is like Okocha during his days. I am talking about raw talent here not achievements of the players. Simply put, Oparanozie is the most talented striker we have in the Super Falcons period. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!
Continue to celebrate mediocrity! I watched that match live and i kept telling my brother “we tried” is not enough. We need to get over the line. When James got red card, I expected Nigeria to take initiative. Go for the kill. That is when the entire team need to run and press high up to ensure that the game didn’t go to extra time. Make the one woman advantage count. Fortune favours the brave! Instead, we decided to play it safe as if we were the ones who got a red card. Even Waldrum substitution of Kanu was surprisingly poor! With Asisat brought in, you need to creativity of Kanu to open up the defence. And those talking about “map”, which map. If not for mediocrity mindset that we have as Nigerians, Nigerians should be talked about I’m the same breath as Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Italy and other top footballing nations! When I see the comments of those who criticise the NFF officials here, – and rightful so – these show me that they are equally as clueless and have little self esteem as the officials they criticise. If you always have to look at how bad your “circumstances” are to justify mediocrity, then you will never excel. Have a string mentality, even if you are faced with challenges, go out there with self esteem and go toe to toe against those who claim to be the best. Everything is in the head, mindset!ù
@pom, the players should be headed back to their various clubs since most European teams are already preparing for the new season.
Who be this Pom person?
Oops, I did it again 🙂
@deo, I be dey follow @Pom until I see hosting… Lol
Ndi FIFA is based against Blacks for awarding 12minutes of injury time against Australia.
Bunch of Senseless illiterates.
Spain and Netherlands have just been awarded 12 minutes of injury time now ó.
Come and tell us which of these two FIFA is bias against….LMAOoo
Common sense is indeed not common.
The best way to hide anything from a black man is to hide it in a book.
Ashley has “footballing sense” that other players don’t have in the team? You are just another slave of anything white! You have been brainwashed. She played well like every other player on the team. Alozie kicked the ball with her weaker foot because she was playing out of position. This happens. The reason for not overcoming England is right there in your comment. We lost because we lacked belief and the coaching team lacked the tactical ability. I watched the full match. When England lost a player to red card, I was shouting “go for the kill”! Instead, the team played safe as if they were the ones who lost a player. Also, there was no reason to take out Kanu. She had the creativity required to support Asisat. I also agree with you, we should have winning mentality. When I saw the way the team was playing, I kept telling my brother that if this match ends with another “we tried” consolation, I will be hugely disappointed. I saw it coming. We need to first see ourselves as equals to white people if we are going to beat them. This we lack. And your biased praise of “footballing sense” for Ashley only confirms that what you criticise is subconsciously in you. Associating intelligence with only white people! Black are intelligent, they just need self esteem and belief!
Omo9ja, did the U.S women also lose to Sweden because they did not believe they could beat them?
Good people, please watch this interview.
Why are our administrators so useless…?
How can a team win 3 AfroBaskets in a row (in a space of 5 years) and not get paid their bonuses…??
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aA-rMX2ydPw
Is this the level of incompetence available in that country….? You turn left, you are met by quacks, you turn right you are met by lazy folks, you go forward you are met by imbecile in suit, you retract backwards, you are met by square pegs in triangular ropes….!!!
Same thing happening with every other national team Nigeria has in other sports.
”
To make matters worse, that Good for nothing sports minister who will not live to see his children’s progress, withdrew these girls, for no reason….no tangible reason at all, from a world cup they qualified for with sweat and blood in their qualification tournament in Serbia, beating top teams along the way.
What sort of country is this…..? Are we cursed…?
I had to go on youtube to watch the video, as for some reason it would not show here.
“IT’S HARD FOR ME TO CONTINUE TO SHOW UP, WHEN I’M NOT WANTED OR VALUED” – CHIDERA ODOM.
Odom and her colleagues are all professionals. Basketball is their business. If our officials are not professional and competent enough to give these athletes the respect and decorum they deserve, then her decision can’t be faulted.
When these players make themselves available to play for Nigeria, they are giving up opportunities to play in clubs that are willing to treat them well and pay them well for their work.
I laughed out loud when Odom said the officials decided to have open tryouts.
Perhaps the officials had begun to doubt the ability of Odom and her team mates! A team that had won the Afrobasket 3 times in a row! Hahaha!
I applaud the players. If it was me, I would have considered retirement much earlier, maybe after the 2nd Afrobasket. That they still stuck around and continued coming to camp shows how committed and dedicated our players are. In spite of all the chaos, disrespect, nonpayment of bonuses, shoddy preparations, lack of communication, and all the other nonsense too numerous to mention, THE PLAYERS KEPT COMING BACK TO PLAY.
We had the strongest female basketball team Africa had ever seen, and for some reason completely unknown to the players themselves or to anybody else outside the federation, they were banned from competing internationally BY THEIR OWN ADMINISTRATORS.
Madness unlimited.
The funny thing is when all our best players are frustrated into early retirement, the prize money they earn from their successes will also no longer be readily available. So by frustrating these players, our officials will also eventually end up empty handed. No more prize money to share.
Sorry, replace Chidera Odom with Oderah Chidom.
I make mistakes when I’m angry and upset. Apologies again.
My brother, the best way to have a bad weekend is to think about Nigeria on a Friday evening.
I dont just understand that country anymore.