July 07, (THEWILL) – In the lead-up to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Super Falcons coach, Randy Waldrum, has opened up about his discontent with the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), over the team’s inadequate preparation.
Even with the NFF’s claims of financial constraints, Waldrum highlighted several issues including the cancellation of a planned three-week training camp in Nigeria that pointed to his frustration with preparations. “I’m trying to plan and prepare practices,” the coach said. “If I don’t have Lauren…I’ve got to do it myself because my Nigerian assistants…don’t know me well enough to handle things the way I want.” These challenges aside, Waldrum praised the team’s unity and positive mindset.
Waldrum’s criticisms shed light on concerns over the Federation’s utilisation of funds. Waldrum referred to information he received from a contact in the US, claiming that FIFA had disbursed $960,000 to each country in October, to facilitate World Cup preparations. The coach questioned the NFF’s handling of this funding, citing the absence of a training camp in November.
Responding to Waldrum’s comments, the NFF rebuffed the allegations, dismissing him as an “incompetent loud mouth”, who has only recently found his voice. In their defence, they highlighted the team’s participation in various international matches as evidence of their preparation efforts and use of financial support received from FIFA for World Cup preparations.
In a statement by the NFF’s Director of Communication, Demola Olajire, the Federation pointed out that the team had already embarked on trips to Japan, Mexico, and Turkey for matches, questioning whether it was Waldrum, who had funded these outings. The statement also revealed that the team is currently in a 15-day camp in Australia.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
