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Randy Waldrum accuses Nigeria FA of pre-Women’s World Cup frustration
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
Nigeria’s head coach Randy Waldrum did not hide his frustration after failing to have his two-week camp in the nation’s capital Abuja in build-up to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
The 66-year-old American gaffer named his final squad of 23 players for the global showpiece but the putting up roster did not come without some objections and interference from the football body, according to Waldrum.
“After the loss in Morocco (WAFCON 2022), the players hadn’t been paid so they boycotted training before the match against Zambia,” Waldrum on the Sounding off on soccer with John Krysinsky podcast.
“My backup goalkeeper (Tochukwu Oluehi) spoke to the Federation about not getting paid and they didn’t like how she spoke so they dismissed her from the national team. They eventually let her back only if she wrote an apology letter.
“They wanted me to pick a goalkeeper from Nigeria for the World Cup that I have never seen, has never been in one of our camps. I said no. That my contract says I pick my teams so they retaliated and said that I can’t take my Assistant coach (Lauren Gregg).”
Waldrum will be going to his first World Cup as a coach and his side face Canada, Australia, and the Republic of Ireland in a tricky group.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will on Saturday organize a send-forth dinner for the World Cup-bound Super Falcons, ahead of the team’s departure from the country to participate in the ninth FIFA Women’s World Cup finals taking place in Australia and New Zealand, 20 July – 20 August this year.
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