Falcons : With 12 days to World Cup, Waldrum/NFF rift overshadows Falcons’ preparation

Over the past week, Randy Waldrum, Super Falcons head coach, has been in a no-hold-barred war of words with the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF). A tussle of the leadership that might hurt Nigeria’s chances at the fast-approaching FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Similarly, the Falcons  are being owed bonuses of two years. Randy Waldrum claimed that FIFA had disbursed $960,000 to all the teams that qualified for the 2023 Women’s World Cup to prepare for the tournament. Adding that he has a close contact in the US that is very connected to some of the boards at FIFA, and this person told him that in October, every country was given $960,000 from FIFA to prepare for the World Cup.

With the World Cup a few weeks away, Waldrum declared the Falcons are not prepared the way we need to be.

Addressing Randy Waldrum, complaints, Ademola Olajire, NFF’s communications director, dismissed Waldrum’s outburst as the coach “shooting his mouth off”.

Meanwhile, the raging exchanges have stirred fear among Nigerian football fans who believe the focus should be on World Cup, billed to kick off on July 20.

Nigeria had qualified for the competition in July 2020 and was placed in Group B alongside Australia, Canada and the Republic of Ireland some of the best teams in the world.

Wadrum said despite the Falcons picking up the World Cup qualification ticket early, NFF failed to utilise the extended window of preparation for the competition.

He accused the federation of cancelling the team’s final training camp without explanation, which impacted his selection of players for the tournament.

In response, Olajire argued that Waldrum invited some players who should not be in camp and left others who should have made his final list.

The coach demanded accountability from the NFF regarding the money that was meant to fund the Falcons’ preparation for the World Cup.

Waldrum revealed the NFF owes him seven months’ salary. He American said he was owed 14 months’ salary until three weeks ago when the federation paid for seven months.

He added that some players are also owed “per diem and bonuses” from two years ago.

Olajire admitted that the NFF is facing huge financial challenges, but the federation is working hard to resolve the problems.

Waldrum also accused the NFF of forcing him to select an inexperienced goalkeeper for the World Cup after the loss in Morocco (WAFCON 2022), the players had not been paid, and so they boycotted training before the match against Zambia.

They wanted to develop a young goalkeeper but my argument to them was that the World Cup is not a place to develop talents. We should take the best players to World Cup. Then you can develop talents after that.

In response, Olajire said the NFF wanted to develop another goalkeeper for the future like the federation did with Chiamaka Nnadozie, the team’s first-choice goalkeeper.

He said Waldrum, however, stuck to Yewande Balogun, who was a goalkeeper coach until recently, instead of taking chances on younger talents.

Waldrum accused NFF of forcing him to drop Lauren Greg, his assistant coach, from his World Cup entourage.

He claimed the decision was retaliation for his refusal to include a home-based goalkeeper in the squad.

She has won the World Cup with the US and is the country’s one of the best coaches.