The Technical Director of Nigeria Football Federation, Austine Eguavoen, has called on the manager of Nigeria’s senior women national team – the Super Falcons, Randy Waldrum, to look inward in replacing ageing Super Falcons players, Completesports.com reports.
Super Falcons went down 3-0 to their South African counterparts, Banyana Banyana, in the first half of Aisha Buhari Cup final at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan in Lagos on Tuesday. Super Falcons’ Michelle Alozie netted a 5th minute own-goal to gift the South Africans an early lead, then Linda Motlhalo made it 2-0 from the spot in the 18th minute after Onome Ebi handled the ball inside the box, then Gabreilla Salgado scored in the 43rd minute.
And speaking to Supersport at interval during the live broadcast of the game, Eguavoen said it was obvious that Waldrum has an ageing team that requires some shake-up.
“Nobody ever thought we would be three goals down at halftime against South Africa here in Lagos, but that is football for you. The South Africans are younger and sharper. Though the first two goals were unfortunate, but I think the visitors were the better side in this half,” Eguavoen said.
Also Read – Aisha Buhari Cup: South Africa Outclass Super Falcons To Emerge Champions
“I think it is time we look inward for younger players to replace our ageing Super Falcons – players who could match the tempo of any African team. We are blessed with young talents all over the country waiting to be tapped. I am optimistic that the coaches have taken notes and will try to turn things around in the second half.”
The match ended 4-2 in favour of the South Africans with Rivers Angels’ Vivian Ikechukwu scoring two quick fire goals in the 47th and 53rd minutes to give the fans a ray of hope that was punctured with a late penalty kick conceded to Banyana Banyana which Hildah Magaoa converted in the 86th minute.
By Richard Jideaka, Abuja
5 Comments
Well spoken Mr. Eguavoen. I saw that too. It’s a gradual process and I think the coach knew that when he took over the job.
As we can see, he has two players in each position the most experienced player and the new player.
When he tries the new ones at the first half then, he changed the new players with the experienced ones.
Nigeria were not destiny to win the tournament. That is just it. For sure, some of the players have to retired.
However, I believe Mr. Eguavoen still have a role to play if given the opportunity to assist Oga Rohr.
NFF should think about this. This man is very talented and he knows how to read game.
We saw him during his time with the Super Eagles. Super Eagles was solid and his input was top notch . His team wasn’t playing kerewa kerewawa style.
The team that has the likes of Obodo, Obinna Nsofor, Obafemi Martins, Taiye Taiyo and so on. Unfortunately, Super Eagles didn’t make it to the world cup but Mr. Eguavoen is technically and tactically sound.
Please and please NFF, get this man on board before the end of the world cup qualifiers and he should be with the coaching crew if Nigeria have to win the Afcon tournament and go far at the world cup.
Look at how he used his experience, humbleness, calmness and smartness to analyzed the match in the first half of the yesterday match against the South African team.
The combinations of Eguavoen, Amunike, Egbo, Yobi, Enyeama and Ikeme will be too strong for our players and our opponents to handle if NFF can get it right.
What we are looking for in sokoto, ah don’t look further, it is already in our shokoto kę.
NFF should start investing in this development so that Nigeria will benefits from it like Algeria and South Africa did.
All it requires is transparency, honesty and integrity.
The rules and regulations must be there and nobody should not above the rule of law.
In that regard, Amaju, Sheyi and Diko are not qualified to lead Nigeria sports.
The well being of their employees is nothing to them. This is why the sports minister was less concerned when NFF failed to offset the bills of the Super Eagles players and the coaches but he was able to gave out millions of Naira to Mrs. Aisha Buhari during the Aisha Buhari Six nations tournament abi?
Nigeria is the only country that loves the foreigners than its own people.
If the name I mentioned above can be treated like the foreigners, given the opportunity to them like foriegners, our own can win the Afcon trophy and world cup in less than 10 years.
Late Keshi was treated badly but he made a good statement and whenever we are talking about the Afcon trophy and world cup scenes, his name have to be mentioned. That is a class.
We Nigerians are resilient and only Nigerians can understand Nigeria.
Wake up NFF. We deserve the best. If made in South Africa could win Aisha Buhari Cup and made in Algeria did so in Egypt and also, made in Nigeria won the 2013 in South Africa, NFF should stop milking Nigeria.
It is time to do things accordingly NFF. Ghana is on the same page. I saw a Ghanaian
coach in charge of the Ghana female national team in Lagos during the Aisha Buhari Cup.
Wake up NFF. We are not going to next world cup to make the numbers as usual. We are not going to Cameroon to win Bronze medals. Invest more into our sports so that we can achieve more. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!
This man, what do you smoke???.
I always try to waka pass your comments but…
To imagine that @Omo will not just type few words… How he is yet to realize his views are skipped beats my imagination.
Even if the topic is about Falcons, this @Omo will find a way to squeeze in his hate for GR.
One day the topic will be 2023 presidential Election in Nigeria and @Omo will still squeeze in something about GR.
Adiction is a poison – @Omo, too much of anything is a Poison
This post is:
12% correct
86% incorrect &
2% off point tbh.
See whose talking when you were given the SE job did you win any tournament even to coach enyimba was a problem for you,now you are saying waldrum should look inward as far as I’m concerned you part of the problem we have in our football.