Super Falcons head coach Randy Waldrum has heaped plaudits on his players following the team’s impressive performance against Australia on Thursday.
Waldrum’s side recorded their first win at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, edging out co-hosts Australia 3-2 at the Lang Park, Brisbane.
The Super Falcons went behind late in the first half before rallying to win the contest.
The American declared that the Falcons can beat anybody if they continue to play together as seen vs Australia.
Read Also: 2023 WWC: South Africa Surrender Lead To Draw With Argentina
“The mentality of the team is incredible. It would have been easy to give up before halftime after they scored, but they responded immediately,” Waldrum was quoted by VM.
“They showed great resilience to come back and turn the game around in the second half. I just think the team has incredible spirit, and the chemistry together is unbelievable. As long as we have that, we can beat anybody.”
The Super Falcons will face already eliminated Republic of Ireland in their last group game on Monday.
A point from the game will be enough for them to seal a place in the Round of 16.
12 Comments
From the article above, the key attributes mentioned by Waldrum as contributory to the team’s success are:
1) Mentality
2) Resourcefulness
And 3) Chemistry.
Yes, despite going down to a gut punch, the team were resourceful in responding swiftly.
They showed a winning mentality by not being overawed by the occasion,home fans and their initial setback. Rather they kept their eyes on the prize to power ahead and retain their lead.
The camaraderie and chemistry in this team is simply off the charts. They all pull in the same direction. Onumonu, even when off the ball is fighting to help the team retain possession. Plumptre and Alozie are playing the roles of modern day fullbacks in how they joggle with success the defensive and offensive aspects of their game. Oshoala has no problems coming in as a Sub so long as she gets the right service. And who would forget Ordega’s exemplary execution of the creative and destructive aspects of her winger role. Though benched against Australia, her support of the team remains unharmed.
For someone like me who has been slightly harsh on the older Falcons pre-tournament, I have to say that Ayinde, Ohale and Ordega have put me in my place! Now I am eagerly waiting for Oparanozie to be unleashed and maybe we can see a bit of Yewande Balogun as well though she is the 3rd choice goalkeeper.
This is not a time to boast: football can be cruel and unforgiving. Rather this is the time to continually encourage the team not to relent on its efforts. Without a doubt, Randy Waldrum has a clear vision; the team has bought into his philosophy; and they have quality mature and young players to drive his tactical agenda.
Are we in the precipice of something great, we will find out in days to come.
Why did the NFF denied him the services of his sidekick? Every coach has a sidekick that they put heads together when the going get tough apart from Waldrum.Can the NFF explained why she was banished from the team? In any case, I don’t expect waldrum to stay after the world cup.His stock has risen world wide with the two games so far played by Nigeria.I see him taking over from the loquacious but faltering Desiree Eli’s of South Africa, the Morrocan coach, Australia or even his native US.The guy have stooped too low for too long to conquer.Yet if he leaves, the logical thing to do is to employ that lady for continuity since she is already familiar with the players and NFF shambolic way of doing things.Imagine Equaveon opening his big mouth the other day that Waldrum have apologized and that they told him that there is “a way they do things ” in Africa which he must learn.Like for real?
Toni, it was a show of strength by both sides.
You see, Lauren Gregg is not an employee of the NFF. The Federation “permitted” her around the camp as a sort of favour to Randy Waldrum. Now, the NFF demanded their own favour in return: to include an untested young goalkeeper in the squad.
Waldrum rebuffed the NFF’S “polite request” and “reminded” them that his contract allows him 100% autonomy to pick his squad.
NFF now said e’hen, na so? no wahala. So they retaliated by reminding him that the same contract he referenced does not provide for Lauren’s presence in the team. So they NFF are well within their rights to ask him to abide by his contract and work with ONLY the Nigerian assistants they NFF provided.
An enraged Waldrum on his own part now said in his mind: ‘sons of bitches’, ‘I too will retaliate.’
So the American granted 2 interviews where he washed NFF’s dirty administrative laundry in public.
Not to the undone, NFF media officer also went on the offensive calling Waldrum blabber mouth and the Worst Coach in Super Falcons history.
After that, there has been ceasefire as both sides halted their hostilities to focus on the world cup.
I think that’s best.
Toni, I have been thinking about it: If the NFF are doing Waldrum a favour by according an unofficial assistant Lauren Gregg space in the team, aren’t they entitled to ask a favour in return?
Scratch my back I scratch yours, perhaps that is the ‘Nigerian way of doing things’ that Eguavoen alluded to. Hahaha
We are funny in this our country sha!
Hahahahaha….Deo….I will be surprised if you make heaven….LMAOoo.
As they say in local parlance…you dey dia when all these things dey happen…? LMAOoo.
You should start thinking of a career in movie scripting and directing….LMAooo. Nollywood needs you….!
Just small quarrel between 2 “friends” you turn am to action movie.
“show of strenght”, “ceasefire”, “retaliate”, “offensive”, “hostilities”…..Hian..! O di egwu eh…!
Hahahaha! Wetin we go do my broda.
The reason is the narrow mindedness and loser mentality of the NFF.
It is obvious they are too stupid to understand that you don’t cut your nose to spite your face.
The man asked for support for bringing in a world cup winner and Olympic gold medal coach in Lauren Gregg. But as dumb as the NFF people are, they saw it as an opportunity to corruptly fleece FIFA, by superimposing some undeserving nobody into the squad. The NFF has no concept of how to build a competitive team to win a competition. And when the man rightfully called them out, they decided that the best response was to abuse the man. I mean, you are owing the man 7 months of salary and you have the audacity to abuse the man? How daft can the NFF be? Gusau, and his band of thugs in Mohammed and Olajire are just plain daft!
Clearly, the NFF leadership are nothing but a bunch simpletons and are dumb arse, unintelligent losers!
Let the show go on. I am literally enjoying the show my brodas. God Bless you all.
To keep these girls going, NFF should not hesitate one bit to pay them their Allowances, draw bonus vs Canada and win bonus vs Australia and any other outstanding moneu owed to them prior to this world cup tournament,
We are the architect of our downfall, who wants to work without being paid?,
Non of the NFF’s chiefs is being owed a dime
Who is it there that orchestrates owing of allowances,
That should stop! rt now!
Pay them their money,even more!
Motivate them, you see them going all the way to the finals,
Tell me,which country at this world cup that is owing their players, non!
Who is stealing from these girls what is due to them,
Whoever found responsible stalling our effort to win this cup will have the gods to contend with!
A worker deserves his/her wages,
No one should defraud them,
They have families, they are bread winners of their respective families
“LET THE BREATH”
No speaking in tongues so as to deny them their entitlement,
This is not a Town Hall Meeting,
This a world Tournament
No BALA BLU TO BLU BLU
Hope am making sence.
This has to be one of the most celebrated victories in Nigerian football ever. It reminds me of 1996 Olympics soccer vibes.
Waldrum the “college coach”, considered useless by some, has accomplished something that has made him an instant member of the Nigeria football hall of fame. If he can just qualify for the next round. Then from there, anything is possible. The more he succeeds, the farther his critics retreat into the shadows.
The 4-2-3-1 has worked wonders so far. But as we go higher in the competition, especially after this win against the hosts, all eyes are now on Nigeria. Our opponents can look at our tapes and try to come up with solutions to Waldrum’s current tactics. So tactical flexibility is going to be very important going forward.
Glad to hear that there are no major injuries. A few knocks here and there, as to be expected. But most are in good shape. Oparanozie who is also recovering from a knock, is almost match ready. Hopefully, Waldrum will have his full squad to select from. With Abiodun coming back into the fray, he has a gigantic selection headache in the midfield. That’s a great headache to have!
Dr. Drey said earlier that Ohale sacrificed her womb and some unborn children to score that second goal. Hahaha! That Australian defender almost sent her to the emergency room with that kick. In fairness to the Aussie, it was not intentional. She was just desperately trying to make a goal line clearance.
My o my, the commitment and courage Ohale showed to go for the ball in that precarious situation, knowing that she could easily get seriously injured.
This is the kind of courage and commitment that the whole team has been showing. It can take them far in this tournament, if they continue like this.
I hope Ohale has fully recovered from that stomach-busting kick!
I am surprised that no one commented about the officiating, maybe because we won. The referee and VAR were very bad. The yellow card given to Alozie was not a yellow card at all, it was the Australian player that stepped on her foot after she was down, replay showed that she never made any contact with the Aussie and yet she was given a yellow. I was thinking our officials would protest but they just sat there and kept mum. The referees are very political, many of them only look at one team for their fowls, and turn blind eyes to the fowls of their favored teams. This was what robbed Nigeria at the Women Afcon in Morocco, now see what all the favored african countries are doing, Morocco and Zambia are being disgraced and South Africa the african champion are struggling, this should serve as a lesson for CAF. I just tell the girls to keep hope alive, we have to be twice as good to stand a chance.