₦airaland Forum

You are right.
For example, the German MNT used to do that in the early 2000's (not sure if they still do).
2 weeks before the WC begins, they only play low profile friendlies (against low division teams) to boost the confidence of the players. Scores used to be high - like 10 zip or there about.
This was strategic, because is helped reduce the risk of injury and helped them finesse game tactics and strategy in a match environment (set pieces, corner kicks, etc). And it actually worked out well for them, based on their results and performances

I suspect this is the approach Randy is taking here, based on the prevailing situation.

lovewins:
One of the benefits of us not playing friendlies cause the number of injuries that have arisen from these friendlies is alarming.

But you need to watch Demehin more, especially since she joined Stade.
She IS actually a ball playing CB - both herself and Ashleigh. Ohale and Ebi (especially Ohale) can be classified as 'Kick and Rush' CBs.

Regarding our outside backs, Alozie actually overlaps a whole lot more than Imuran.

Schemerkhiz:
From another angle again is Imuran at Left Back, Demehin and Imuran seems to have this Chemistry right from Rivers Angels, U20 days down to Stade de Reims..

Imuran like to burst forward with pace which Demehin on the other stands firm defensively, but Ashleigh Plumptre is more of a Ball Playing Center Back who likes to drive forward with the ball too...

Monday is still a newbie, having just completed her first year in Spain and only became a regular started prior to the end of the season - last 6 or so games.
Onumonu is a veteran of the NWSL and so brings that high level of experience to the table. It makes sense to me that Onumonu would start, and then bring in Monday to finish the job.
Front 3, baring injury, will LIKELY be Onumonu, Oshoala and Okoronkwo

BascoVanVeli:
I would have preferred Gift Monday over Onumonu if we are going with Oshoala up top..

@ Schemerkhiz,
I will have to disagree with you on this. Demehin brings more to the table than just Pace and Physical play.
She actually brings ALL the attributes you listed (highlighted below).

If you are able, please re-watch the Haiti and New Zealand friendlies again and just focus on her. I think you would agree she checks the box on all those attributes

Schemerkhiz:
The only Advantage Demehin is having over Plumptre is Pace, Physicality..

I don't see Demehin better than Plumptre in Positioning, Leadership and Communication, anticipation (Read game), Aerial Ability and Ball Playing/Distribution..

In terms of Tackling I will give it a 50/50

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaP6t-E11tw

Interesting!
Thanks for the clarification

lovewins:
They already got the boots. Can't speak to what the contract says, but I arrived at the conclusion cause at least 3 members of the team put up appreciation post to Adidas and Ini particularly. Now that you mentioned it, it just may not be the whole squad who got it. I know for it's typical for footballers to have peculiar deals with shoe companies. Rinsola for instance has a deal with Puma. All of these are speculative though.

How is that going to work?
Our kit is Nike and they are supposed to provide shoes.
Unless the Nike contract is a ‘Jerseys only’ contract, which will be strange

lovewins:
Former Super Falcons player Ini Umotong who now works at Adidas appear to have facilitated the provision of new boots to the ladiies. They all seem very elated.

That's why it may not be such a good idea to play many friendlies before a major competition.
This lady is by far their best keeper and this is a monumental loss for Zambia.
The medical report is she tore both her ACL and MCL. She is probably out for a year and may also miss the WAFCON and Olympics qualifiers

Deltamani:
Copper Queens of 🇿🇲Zambia goalkeeper Hazel Nali to injured with few days Left for the Women’s World Cup.

Nali suffered a tear of the ACL on her left knee during their international friendly with Switzerland on July 7.

This is coming as a huge blow for the goalie who was looking forward to her first World Cup and also the team.

Randy has worked with him recently (Mexico - Revelation Tourney) and seems to like what he brings to the table

lovewins:
Is this at the instant of Randy or the NFF?

To call Olajire a fool would be unfair. The guy is a complete neanderthal!

So his explanation of how the $960,000 was spent are the trips to engage Canada, Japan and the US? Okay.
For the sake of argument, lets assume each trip cost $5000 each per person (even though it isn't that high in reality, as the NFF are cheap skates and will book economy seats, BUT I will indulge his stupidity).

Randy mentioned 11 staff and 23 players comprise the Travelling team. Lets even say they are 35 people in the team.
$5000.00 x 35 = $175K. per trip. As customary, food and hotel accommodation is covered by the hosts.
For the three trips, total expenditure is $525,000.
We know the NFF didn't pay any per diem and has not paid the ladies their outstanding dues.

So, Mr. Olajire, what about the remaining $435,000

Deltamani:
Ona NFF sha😂😹😂

That would only prove they are guilty as charged - I hope they wouldn't be that stupid but hey, they have always shown Nigerians how daft they are, so I wouldn't put it beyond them.

Not only that, Randy just stated he has receipts on them - all the email communications that would confirm and expose their corrupt intents! This guy has them by the balls!

AndSunGorilla:
Can the NFF sack him now? I say that because e don seriously expose them.

I disagree.
NOW is the time to spill the beans - there is no 'right time' to tell the truth and out those bastards at the NFF.
According to Randy's comments, the hydrahead and problem with the NFF is MOHAMMED SANUSI.

I really appreciate Randy saying all this because we the fans would never have know about the details. If this came out after the WWC, it would have been swept under the carpet and they would have gone into business as usual mode.

Randy exposed the abject STUPIDITY of the people running the NFF. They are the ones responsible for the poor performances of our teams. They are not intelligent enough to plan ahead and they are nothing but thieving crooks!

Thanks, Randy, for exposing these vagabonds!!

AndSunGorilla:
My only comment is Baba for wait till after the WC to spill all these beans. All the rant is distracting to the team and truth is he has endured it for a long time anyway.

🇳🇬Settling down for business 😉

Our final training preparations continue in Gold Coast 🇳🇿 ahead of our ninth #FIFAWWC campaign

#SoarSuperFalcons #TeamNigeria pic.twitter.com/GjZiawJiNM

— NGSuper_Falcons (@NGSuper_Falcons) July 5, 2023

Qatar Airways (FIFA Partner)
Abuja - Doha - Brisbane

23 hrs flight time (including lay over in Doha). Not too bad for the SF recovery time.

Then? Yes. Now, absolutely NOT!

Recently, Oshoala has been the top striker and by extension, top scorer for the world's best women's football clubside for about 3 years running now.
You don't 'move' such a player to accommodate someone who is clearly, not as good. I really don't see how that would 'favor' the team. A like for like sub for Oshoala? Perhaps. It’s all about 'RECENCY' and based on that (and not individuality), Oshoala is, by far, the best option as top striker and not Oparanozie, IMO.

I was impressed with the chemistry she had with the likes of Esther, Payne, Ajibade, Echegini and others in the series against Haiti and New Zealand. Ball movement, channel running, etc. It was seemless. Impressive. No way would a coach disrupt that to accomodate another player who was the #9 in the past.

Deltamani:
So what are you insinuating? That Randy should play Oparanozie from the Flank once she come on?? or better still push Oshoala to the Flank??. Oshoala has two World Cup goals yes but she wasn’t the team no.9 then..

We’re after what would favour the team as a whole not any individuality..

That would have made sense if you had someone who could deliver goals in her stead.
The problem is pushing your best striker out to the flanks to accommodate someone who, for all intents and purposes, has been poor as a top 9 in the WWC. She has yet to score a single goal in 3 world cup performances. To make it even worse, she has an OG to her name.

Meanwhile, the person making way for her has 2 WWC goals in 2 world cup appearances. That makes no sense to me!

Deltamani:
Forwards Variety. Esther Okoronkwo, Fransisca Ordega, Monday Gift, Uchenna Kanu are all wide forwards who operate best from the flanks. Rasheedat Ajibade is a shadow forward, basically a 10 in some occasion and a can come from the Wing depending on where the Coach wants her... Ifeoma Onumonu, Asisat Oshoala & Desire Oparanozie are out and out, "targetwomen" kinda forwards though Desire Oparanozie is the only natural no.9 in the Squad right now, The kind of formation Randy will employ will determine who best fit in to makes a great difference..

But as for me I would like to have Desire Oparanozie off the bench and push Asisat Oshoala to the flank once she comes in.. Oshoala is good at delivering balls into the Box too.

Its a matter of personal opinion.
Randy has started her in more games than any of the other center-backs since WAFCON, so that says something.
Just thankful we have a corp of central defenders that are reliable, perhaps the best we have had in a long time.

mostob:
Everybody here rates Tosin but there is no way she is starting ahead of either Ash or Ohale. The only way she gets to start is if we're playing the at the back. Ashleigh and Ohale are far ahead of her.

That was then, we are talking of now. Oshoala and Ordega have lost a step or two, pace wise.
Oparanozie was never fast and was the slowest of the three O's.

Yes, Onumonu does have pace, having been a sprinter in her middle and high school days.
You can watch her games for FC Gotham to get a sense of how fast she is.

mostob:
You really need to watch some past clips especially when the triple O were at their peak. I don't really know what to make of this post TBH.

Desire is a traditional 9, what do you want her on the wing for? And who told you she doesn't drift to the wing when and where necessary.

And if pace is your excuse, is Onumonu as fast as Desire?

This is really a stretch.

The issue with Oparanozie is she is incapable of playing on the flanks (due to her lack of pace) and is therefore, very limited in what she brings to the team, outside of being a point person in the attack. Meaning, IF she is (wo)man marked, she pretty much becomes redundant.
As opposed to Oshoala, Franny, Onumonu, Kanu or Okoronkwo, who can play anywhere on the front line and drag their markers out of position, so they cannot be effectively (wo)man marked.

The role Oparanozie is best suited for is IF there is a change in strategy (i.e., coach switches to a 4-4-2 formation, from a 4-3-3), and she plays alongside one of the other strikers. Otherwise, if the formation is a 4-3-3, I very much doubt Randy will start her. We saw an example of that against New Zealand, where he seemed to switch to a 4-4-2 near the end of the game, allowing her to come in when Oshoala got injured.

Deltamani:
Tough task for Randy Waldrum picking his front 3??

We all knows Esther Okoronkwo and Oparanozie are sure starter’s for the first game but who’s the 3rd with Rash out.

Desire Oparanozie, Uchenna Kanu or Franny Ordega??

(LW) Fransisca Ordega … Sub (Kanu in for Ordega)
(RW) Esther Okoronkwo Sub ( Oparanozie in for Esther with Oshoala moving to the Flank.
(CF) Asisat Oshoala

I can bring in Onumonu during 80+ to kill of game

Monday Gift?? 😂😹😂😂😹🧐

Big Job for Randy Waldrum

Likelihood of Ashleigh as left back is slim anyway. Reason is IF Imuran is unavailable (for whatever reasons), Ogbonna will likely be the next in line.

Regarding centerbacks, surprised most here don't think highly of Tosin Demehin. I strongly believe she is high up Randy's list. I think she will be a starter. She is quick, physical and her ball playing skills (ball control and passing) and tactical awareness (reading of the game) are way up there. She started and played the full 90mins in all of our last 5 games.
I really don't see how she does not start.

Deltamani:
No no no, I wouldn’t move Ashleigh to the Left, her best performance comes from the CB, Left footed Center Backs are very good at Ball playing. We all know she’s average at Speed but positionally and her tactical awareness of the game plays in her favour.! She have also improved a lot in her physical side of the game, she isn’t someone you can bully except u’re Desire Oparanozie 😂😹

Oopps! My bad. No vex

On a more serious note, the good thing is it looks like Halimatu and Rash are only going to miss ONE game (based on what Randy said during his interview). If true, that is great news!!

Deltamani:
You already know the answers though was just trying to create a debate and get to see people’s ideas on what to do..

Okay okay we should be having something like this

Gk— Chiamaka Nnadozie

DF— Alozie, Ohale, Plumptre, Imuran

MF— Ucheibe, T Payne, Echegini

FW— Esther, Oshoala, Ordega(Kanu)


Randy will likely get Kanu off the bench though (75%)

I think Ashleigh will do fine at left-back also, as she has a better defensive mindset in comparison to Payne. Also, Imuran should be fine. She seems to have matured and her confidence has improved over the last couple of months, especially since she became a started at Stade Reims towards the end of the season.

I believe we should be okay overall. My key concern is Oshoala - she is quite injury prone and her absence inn the starting lineup could be an issue, as it will be one less problem for our opponents to be concerned about.

Deltamani:
I don’t even see Glory getting a game time over there in Australia, I would rather have Tony moved to the FB position if need be in the absence of Imuran.. or switch to 3 CB.. and play with Wing backs where Alozie, Imuran, Payne and Ordega can blossom with their speed.

I am surprised at the questions you have asked.
Barring injuries, save for Onome Ebi (replaced by Ohale), Halimatu (replaced by Ucheibe) and Rash (replaced by Kanu), the starting 11 will be the same starting lineup we all saw against New Zealand.

Deltamani:
You’re spot on, How will this trio fair in the absence of Halima who should arguably be Randy no.1 Defensive Midfielder? Ucheibe is more than Up to the task! [b]But again Won’t Randy push T Payne back to the Defense? [/b]Don’t think so since Rash isn’t available

I do see Echegini as player with Pogba Physical attributes and the ball sense of Kevin De Bruyne..!

Unfortunately, Nicole was unable to make the last 5 matches of the SF and therefore was rightfully dropped.
There is absolutely no doubt that IF her move to PSG comes to fruition and she proves herself and becomes a regular member of the PSG team, her place as SF right back will be on lockdown. No doubt!
It would have been unfair on Glory Ogbonna to miss out, since she was present for those 5 matches.

Now, if the idiots at the NFF had indeed organized the camp in Nigeria and Nicole was present, she would have very likely displaced Ogbonna and made the team (based on her performance at USC in the NCAA D1 season.

Deltamani:
We all will say the Coaches knows best YES I AGREE but Randy decision not to go with Nicole Payne really bothers me, I see a lot of talent in her, You know how demanding it’s right now for Full Backs as far as the modern game is concerned..

Nicole should be the quickest FB in the team, her burst of pace going forward is really something the Coaches really need to take advantage of just like what Selma Bacha is doing for Lyon, I remember when she ran with the ball from defense to the Canadian box during the friendly game, even though Onumonu couldn’t anticipate the final pace but that was a great one from her.

That's the language Nigerians always use which breeds a sense of entitlement.
The players should be picked on MERIT only! If their level of performance (at the time of selection) warrants they should be in the SF squad, then great.
Nobody needs to be 'drafted'.

solonnachi:
NFF must invest in the youthful players and bring them on. Players like Nicole Payne, Peace Efih, Flourish Sebastian, Esther Onyenezide, Ajakaiye etc[b] should all be drafted into the Super Falcons[/b] after this world cup no matter the outcome

You forgot to mention she has the lungs of a horse.
Was watching the SF matches against Costa Rica and New Zealand again over the weekend and that girl covered literarily every blade of grass on the field. Left channel, right channel, center, defense, attack, back and forth, nonstop. Her level of coverage is scary.
Wish her all the very best!

Deltamani:
Again I just hope she will be able to deal with the pressure of Playing at the Biggest stage of Women Football. Onyi Echegini is a complete baller, the Energy, pace, Strength, skills, mentality, Passes and many more are there… I know the experience isn’t there yet.


Again Nigerian are waiting to see how she delivers as her name have been ringing as the one or should I say one of those who replaced experienced Ngozi Okobi..

https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/watch/gRJ7J_lXOESzY7aMBuRvRA

Women's football has improved significantly from yester-years

You may be right, when you factor in the layovers.
Unfortunately for our Super Falcons, no easy way to get to Aussie-land.

JohnBullMySon:
Lagos to Australia can't even be 27 hours unless you're just counting time spent in flight. I'm guessing 40hours at the very least. There will be one overnight layover at least due to the exotic nature of the route and about two layovers in total. Anything shorter than 40 hours is probably too expensive.

Obviously someone with little or no knowledge of women's football in America.
FYI... there was the USL W-League and the WPSL PRIOR to 1999. Do some research, young man!.

I presume reading and understanding clauses in bylaws and regulations might be a struggle for you - like I once stated earlier, stick to what you do best - videography!

Cheers!

BascoVanVeli:
How many had professional Women’s leagues at that time I remember that it was after the 99 world cup that America started their league. Who do u think u are talking to?

I told u that there was no training year round but u ran around in circles only for u to now say "well the coach can encourage strength and conditioning but she can train with an off campus team". Either way u were wrong.

Dude, you're a very interesting fellow.
1. I guess the NFA didn't care about women's football either, that they opted to send the Falcons to the 1999 WWC where they beat Denmark and North Korea but fell to Brazil in the QFs. I can tell you Nigerians in diaspora cared enough to drive hundreds of miles to the then RFK Stadium in DC to watch Nigeria take on Denmark and beat them 2-0. Lauren Gregg was an integral part of the coaching crew for the US team that beat Nigeria 7-1 in the group stage and you don't get to be a USWNT coach if you are not the best. But hey, according to you, nobody cared about football then.
2. Don't get ahead of yourself as you didn't prove anything! What exactly are you going on about Debbie training under Waldrum at Pitt? When did I say the coach COULD train his team? Did you even bother to read the NCAA Manual about the do's and don'ts during the off season? Because it is crystal clear that a coach has the latitude to encourage his team members engage in off season activities that do not violate the bylaws. You did hear Waldrum talk about her strength and conditioning work she has been doing off season (or did you miss that)? NCAA D1 Manual - article 17.20 is clear as to what a student athlete / coach can or cannot engage in (nothing in the manual stops her from training with an off campus team - like Steel City, FC in Pittsburgh)
3. Not sure why you have it in your head that I am against 'most' players coming out of Nigeria? That is a bizarre conclusion on your part. There have been some good players, like Tosin Demehin, who impressed the very first time I saw her play live in Houston in 2021, and there are some who I was unimpressed with, like Ogbonna. It is disingenuous on your part to state that I dislike most players out of Nigeria just because I was unimpressed with a player like Ogbonna. Most would agree that I was right in this instance.

And for the record, I never back away from debates on this forum, unless they fail to be intellectually stimulating or the person I am debating keeps going around in circles and skirts around the facts presented. You tend to be the latter.
I really cannot continue to waste my precious time with someone who choses to ignore the facts that are presented and decides to debate peripheral issues instead.

BascoVanVeli:
If we would never know why ask the question in the first place

U are talking about a lady that won medals with America when nobody cared about Women's football. How come the American federation has not offered her a job in the past decade? U mean she is such a good coach that not even a high school offered her a job? That's crazy.

I already proved u wrong about Debbie training under Waldrum. U ran away and acted like we were never talking. Now he said exactly what I told u in his interview so cut it out. There is no full training going on at Pittsburgh, the coach is not allowed to train his team yet, stop with this false narrative. Just like u are talking about Okobi not making the team when that has nothing to do with this particular conversation. U are just running all over the place. This is the real problem with Nigerian football. People going off of who they like or hate instead of right or wrong.

I don't have any favourite person when it comes to a Nigerian national team. I call everything down the middle. I don't think anyone here has been a bigger advocate for Deborah Abiodun but right is right and wrong is wrong. We both know u have been against most players coming out of Nigeria. U blamed them for the early performances and of course u will jump on Waldrum's excuse cos it aligns with ur narrative.

That's if the imbeciles at the NFF don't insist on only home based players making up the Super Falcons, especially after this World Cup, considering the issues with Randy insisting on Yewande. Those bastards at the NFF will be on a revenge mission.

They have already damaged the Super Eagles brand by insisting that 4 HB players must always be in the squad. 4 useless players who add absolutely zero value to the team.

Deltamani:
Me too, but Randy have his reasons to go with Ogbonna. Playing for PSG will certainly set her high In the Pecking Order.

I think Starting Right Back Ashley Lawrence already left PSG, the alternative Chinese right back also left a day ago that means the Right back position is open

Makes more sense to fly out from the US or UK:

Lagos to Brisbane - 27 hrs flight time
Los Angeles to Bribane - 16.5 hrs flight time
London to Brisbane - 21.5 hrs flight time

lovewins:
It appears Kanu and Alozie will feature in today's NWSL game. Are they flying to Australia from the US directly?