Former Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh has berated the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for excluding Super Falcons captain, Desire Oparanozie from the list of players that will be representing Nigeria at the Turkish Women’s Cup.
Recall that on Thursday, the NFF released a 23-man list and shut the door on the team’s dependable striker Oparanozie on the ground that she has not been playing since a sit-in protest over unpaid bonuses and allowances at the 2019 World Cup.
In his words, NFF’s spokesman, Demola Olajire said: “Oparanozie is still part of the team’s plans, and her non-inclusion has nothing to do with that protest in France because she was not the only one involved,” Olajire told BBC.
“Selection of players is predominantly the prerogative of the coaches and not the NFF.
“She remains an important member of the women’s national side. I think she will just have to keep working on her game and, if she gets the opportunity, then push for a consistent selection.”
Reacting to the development, Oliseh described such a decision as an act of injustice meted on a senior player that has consistently given her best for the country.
“When will this “non-compos mentis” end in our football! Once again, Injustice is dealt to a superb Captain fighting for the team by the Nigerian F.A & I cannot hear her teammates speaking out or fighting for her! A very good player at that! We keep shooting ourselves in the foot.
By Augustine Akhilomen
13 Comments
Football is a serious business in Nigeria, these was exactly how we let go Cynthia Uwak who’s ball and goal scoring ability was next to nothing at that point in time all in the name that she’s a tomboy or lesbian suspect. Claims that has no prove and we lost her service. I am just making this point to highlight our incompetence in player management.
How we expect to become great nation with these kinds of attitude of ungratefulness, vindictiveness,wickedness, talents distruction etc baffles me. We will never stop attacking these EVIL perpetrators irrespective of their status or age. DEMONS IN HUMAN SKIN THEY ARE. God bless to you Oparanozie. Know this, that majority of football fans truly appreciate you n your contribution to Nigeria football and we love you and all deserving national team players both male n female.
If I’m talking now they will say I have started again and I’m anti NFF.
We can’t keep quiet no more. Enough is enough.
Our oppressors are passing their boundaries and we have to letting them know that what goes around comes around.
I would like to say a big thank you to Mr. Sunday Oliseh. You are indeed a leader.
So, we can’t fight for our right no more in this country? Just because Oparanozie was tell the NFF the truth about the unpaid money owed to them, NFF Excluded her from the list? Who does that huh.
I am calling on you my people. We still have a lot to do in this country.
We have to keep pushing and pushing and I’m pretty sure by God’s grace we will win the race because slow and steady wins the race.
The only hope for this country is God. God helps those who help themselves. This is why every patriotic Nigerian must never relents.
Mr. Sunday Oliseh won my heart on this my coming out to cautious the NFF.
One thing is very sure of these carbals. They can’t stay in the office forever and their days are numbered.
Oparanozie should keep her head up. She did the right thing. I’m very proud of her.
Whether they like it or not, we are taking Nigeria back. None of the NFF staff members can not work for a month with bn paid while treating others like slaves?
Oyinbo people enslaved us and we are enslaving ourselves. Does that make sense at all NFF?
It is time to speak up and we will continue to sórósoke because we want the best for ourselves and our country. Who don’t like better thing? Absolutely nobody. God bless Nigeria!!!
First, they stripped her of the captain’s arm band and now they’re fencing her out of the team?
I think it was after they stopped the ex coach Dernerby that they took the captain’s role from Oparanozie and blacklisted some of the regulars. That was shortly after the Women’s World Cup.
Incidentally, the Falcons have been on a nosedive since then, failing to qualify for any tournament and even getting dumped out of the Olympics by ‘ordinary’ Cote D’Ivoire (female football-wise).
Was the team divided? Were there mafias a la pre-2002 Men’s World Cup that ended up being a wasted ticket.
Oparanozie’s exclusion is political as well as tribal The Falcon’s manager is s lame-duck American who gets his orders from the Ministry of Sports and the NFF
The least the other players could do is to boycott the competition and stand together as one.
I agree with you @Ade but can Super Falcons do it?
This is why I always said we are the problem of ourselves.
US female team did it they succeeded as a unit. Can Super Falcons do that? Let’s wait and see.
The End SARS Protest have opened Nigerians eyes and we are not scared of our government no more. We want a better Nigeria for us all. God bless Nigeria!!!
Oparanozie’s exclusion has no undertone?
Just as Super Falcons fans celebrated the resumption of women’s football, a major issue is threatening to cast a dark cloud over the team freshly assembled by new Head Coach American Randy Waldrum.
This is of the exclusion of erstwhile captain of the team Desire Oparanozie.
Footballers get excluded from lists for international assignments from time to time so why all the fuss about the exclusion of Oparanozie?
It is believed that the bigwigs of the NFF are holding a grudge against the 27 year old striker for fronting a protest against the football authorities at the 2019 world cup over unpaid wages.
However NFF’s director of communications Ademola Olajire quickly took to the BBC to rubbish such speculations.
“Oparanozie is still part of the team’s plans and her non-inclusion has nothing to do with that protest in France because she was not the only one involved,” said Mr Olajire.
But, if that is the case, it baffles me why a striker who has scored 2 goals and provided 4 assists in 9 games in the French top flight would be excluded from the Super Falcons team to Turkey.
Some of the players on the list haven’t performed as well as Oparanozie in club football this season.
It is poignant though that an ex-player like Sunday Oliseh who himself was expunged from the national team under similar circumstances after the 2002 Afcon would be the leading voice of disgust at the situation of Oparanozie.
I guess if someone can appreciate what Oparanozie might be going through, it would be Oliseh.
However, in his case, his exclusion from the Super Eagles proved to be permanent. But, is there a route back for Oparanozie?
“She (Oparanozie) remains an important member of the women’s national side. I think she will just have to keep working on her game and, if she gets the opportunity, then push for a consistent selection,” said the NFF media officer.
Whilst many observers would regard that statement as just superficial from the NFF, I think it signals hope of a possible return to the Super Falcons for Oparanozie.
I remember in 2016 when Francisca Ordega and several Super Falcons players went on strike in Abuja over unpaid wages shortly after winning the Afcon, they made their way back to subsequent squads despite rumours that the NFF would blacklist them.
In fact, back then as in now, the Glass House moved to release a statement quelling such rumours.
So, I pray Oparanozie is welcomed back to the fold sooner rather than later. Players should not be blacklisted for fighting for their rights. It does not make the NFF look great and is a poor advertisement of Nigerian football.
In 2016, the NFF said: “To say that the NFF is planning to ban some of the female players and coaches for life (for going on strike) is out of it.”
It is now time they practice what they preached.
Nigerians with double mouth! So Sunday Oliseh is now a hero and human right fighter on CSN. The same Oliseh labelled all kinds of names for fronting the interest of the Super Eagles whilst captain in 2002 and a traitor while standing up against the NFF when he later became the coach. Things are happening in every section of Nigerian life and only the people who are closer understands. We should stop judging and showing our ignorance on matters we know little about.
This is not about oliseh, this is about fielding the best legs we have out there, this lady is doing well in her club. We Nigerians are fond of sentiments, we should be able to call a spade a spade and stop supporting this so called ineptitude administrators.
You need more than a pair of glasses to actually understand.
Oshoala, Ordega and Ajibade must say something regarding this issue. If they turn up in camp without their former captain, its a disgrace to them. Oshoala as the highest rated female footballer should be pressed to make a statement regarding the exclusion of Oparanozie. It is now we call on people with conscience to say something. Now! Soro soke!
The same way Okocha, Shorunmu and Taribo shunned the world cup in 2002 in support of Oliseh and Finidi abi? My guy, keep dreaming!!!