₦airaland Forum

We will never know now, would we? The NFF should be blamed for having little or no trust in Ann Chiejine capability and not giving her an ample chance. Again, absolutely NOTHING to do with Randy!

Also, based on Randy's judgement, having worked close with a Women's World cup and Olympic gold medal winning coach in his vast and expansive career, he is undoubtedly in the unique position to determine if a coach is capable or not and is spot on about a member of his coaching crew's ability, or lack thereof, to lead and coach a WWC team. Most importantly, its an EXTREMELY LONG walk from coaching a 'young Abia' team to coaching the Nigerian Super Falcons at a WWC!

Lastly, Randy, according to his contract, has the right to pick the team that he feels would prosecute his strategies best at the WWC.
He therefore decided to pick Jennifer Echegini (in place of the older Ngozi Okobi) and also decided to pick Debbie Abiodun (in place of Regina Otu) who he has seen and worked with up close since May 2023 in Pittsburgh, and can verify she is fit and ready for the WWC.

As one journalist (Fisayo Dairo) aptly and correctly stated in his piece, Ngozi Okobi has refused to read the writing on the wall.
Best of luck to her.

BascoVanVeli:
If this is the case u all should apologise to Okobi because she was also telling her own truth.
Ann did a great job with a young Abia Angels this season. I watched her up close against Ibom Angels, she is a good coach and would probably do better than Randy Waldrum if given the opportunity.

Its seems your MAIN bone of contention with Waldrum's comments are his supposed (in your words, paraphrased or otherwise) 'disrespect' for his coaching staff. Which means you are in consonance with everything else he stated!

So which one, of Waldrum's CURRENT Nigerian coaching staff, would you state as being the most competent enough to lead and COACH the team?
Is it Ann Chiejine, who has been an assistant coach with the Super Falcons for close to 10 years, but keeps getting passed over for the head coach position when changes are made? If memory serves me right, she has been Asst. Coach under Omagbemi, Dennerby, Danjuma and now Waldrum. It's clear she is LEAD Nigerian coach currently attached to the team. Reading the tea leaves, its also clear the NFF has little confidence in her abilities to lead and/or coach the team.

Who else? Was Randy misrepresenting the truth about the limited capabilities of the Super Falcons staff?

BascoVanVeli:
What does race have to do with disrespecting your staff members publicly? So a player can't talk about their coach but the same coach can talk sideways about their staff? Make it make sense.


Do u want to buy gun and chase the NFF out We are supposed to be worried about a world cup but instead u people are making excuses for the coach.

Too little, too late!
Strange that Okobi's 'fake news' rebuttal to her alleged rant on Waldrum is only coming out now, when this has been circulating in the news for over a year (before WAFCON).
Yet, she intentionally opted not to address it then.

naptu2:
https://twitter.com/NgoziOkobi/status/1674813471022542853

In actuality, the 2 supposed 'gatecrashers 'to the Falcons camp in Houston for the Summer Series in 2021 were:

1. Esther Okoronkwo, who had just finished at Lamar University, Houston in May 2021 and
2. Michelle Alozie, who, like you stated, was in tryouts with the Houston Dash and had no professional contract with them.

Yewande Balogun, as Randy verbally confirmed, was contacted by him to join the team after he became aware of her Nigerian background. At the time, she was under contract as a goalkeeper coach for University of California, Davis. Randy also reached out to Iffy Onumonu and convinced her to switch nationalities.

lovewins:
Alozie was in tryouts at Houston Dash at the time. Somewhat like a precontract. Not sure what Esther's status was at the time, but compared to Yewande they paled. And it's funny cause you're making it sound like Yewande isn't a professional. She's more of a professional than most on the team, and to show it, she got signed almost immediately she chose to come back.

Randy's actual comments - audio, from the horse's mouth

https://pittsburghsoccernow.com/2023/06/28/sounding-off-on-soccer-ahead-of-womens-world-cup-trek-randy-waldrum-sounds-off-concerns-with-nigerian-football-federation/

This Olajire fellow is even more dumb than he looks.

1. Why would Randy want a camp for HBs, when the WWC was barely a month away? Randy's comments about a camp for the team in Nigeria is more believable. So, the fact that he names his team means they shouldn't have a camp in Nigeria? How daft can this fellow be?
2. Okobi was never going to start ahead of the trio of Echegini, Payne and Ucheibe. Upfront, Uchenna Kanu is more than a capable replacement for Ajibade. So, this Olajire is simply talking out of his arse.
3. Chiamaka was 'badly' injured in the Mexico trio of friendlies, yet Yewande came in, played the full 90 and won with a clean sheet. In the process, ending a bad losing streak for Nigeria. And what exactly is his point?

This guy just showed how completely inept and incompetent the NFF is!

solonnachi:
NFF Reacts To Randy Waldrum’s Bombshell Interview
Brila
3 hours ago
NFF Reacts To Randy Waldrum’s Bombshell Interview
The director of communication of the NFF, Ademola Olajire gave FA’s position on Waldrum’s insistence of lack of support and internal sabotage.
“We have to first ask when the European season ended. The man wanted a two-week camping for only home-based professionals (whom he already gave very little consideration in his provisional list).
“Like two weeks ago, he released his final list of 23, meaning there was absolutely no need for any camping for home-based again except to simply waste resources.
“Instead of admitting his glaring deficiencies, he’s there shooting his mouth off.
“He knows he will not have Rasheedat Ajibade and Halimatu Ayinde (two key players) for the opening match against Canada, yet he left out Ngozi Okobi and Regina Otu from the squad!
“The NFF felt it would make more sense for the 23 to go straight to Australia and camp for 15/16 days to acclimatize to the weather and conditions.
“The NFF wanted him to groom a home-based goal tender like Chiamaka Nnadozie was groomed. Instead, he kept bringing Yewande Balogun (who actually started as a goalkeeper coach!) all the time without consideration for a home girl. The same lady has only kept goal in one friendly match in over 2 years (and only because Chiamaka was badly injured in a friendly in Mexico earlier this year).
“His outbursts are nothing but an after-thought. He’s talking only 3 days to the team’s departure to the World Cup.”

Which young keeper?
The keeper they wanted to impose on him had never been recommended by his Naija assistants, meaning that person the NFF was pushing for, simply wasn't good enough.
Saying she adds nothing is rather disingenuous. In the game she was asked to tend goal, she had a clean sheet. She adds depth, reassurance and vast experience into the position. None of your so-called 'young goalkeepers' (whoever they are) have that!

isan:
NFF are wrong for not opening camp early also wrong for stopping waldrum assistant but are right about yewande going going to world cup as she add nothing 2 the team a young goalkeeper should've taken her place

I'm sorry, what

Please, don't even go there. Better than who? Oshoala? Heck NO! That's a complete fallacy!
Which dribbling skills does Oparanozie have? She has always been a power forward, relying more on brute strength (gra-gra), than skill.

Oshoala has more goals in less appearances with the National team. There is a reason why Oshoala is regarded as one of (if not) THE greatest striker in African Women's football and its not because she plays from the flank! For club and country, she is miles better than Oparanozie and her goal scoring records prove it.

Deltamani:
All This qualifies you just mentioned Desire Oparanozie have them all and as far as I can go she’s a better 9 than Onumonu and Oshoala, the major problem is that she lack pace… But she definitely knows how to work her way round in the BOX

We are our own worst enemies!
This is not only sabotage, but is also gross incompetence on the part of the NFF and they are clearly setting our girls up for failure.

Pinnick looks like a saint compared to this inept Gusau!

Deltamani:
Head Coach, Randy Waldrum explains how the NFF is actively making things difficult for the Super Falcons ahead of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

What do you think of our chances heading into the tournament ? 🤔 🦅🇳🇬

And what is the correlation between an African medal and good performance at the World level?
Morocco, for example, got knocked out in the quarter finals of the 2022 AFCON, but went on to post the greatest performance by an African team at the World Cup.
Zero correlation.

yinkeys:
No Okobi
Drum is in charge
Coach without an African medal wants to perform white magic at global level

A credible argument could be made that she DID lose the ball.
Watch min 7:33 (slowmo) which shows Cameroon defender Awona toe-poking the ball away from Okobi, while Okobi was trying to turn away.
Watch Awona's left leg swing and toe-poke, as well as the path of the ball.

Deltamani:
Lost which ball ⚽️?
Please go and re-watch it, From Ayinde to Okobi down to Onumonu who laid the Assist. Okobi did a great job holding onto the ball under pressure form the Cameroon Defender till she gave it to Onumonu who’s ball landed in Ajibade head.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=so0hfBaezpA

Watch it again from 7:40

As always, you seem to enjoy arguing for argument sake but unfortunately for you, your arguments are typically void of facts.

Which NCAA rules are you referring to about training? Attached is the NCAA rule book - focus on 17.20.8.1.2 Out of Season. Hopefully, that would help ground you in some of the NCAA rules.

Go back and read my comments - the discussion here was not about WAFCON, but the WWC. Stop trying to conflate issues.
The two caps Debbie got were AFTER the U20WWC, just as I had previously advocated.
You really need to go back and refresh you memory on our previous discussions regarding when Debbie should be invited to the National team.

BascoVanVeli:
How many AWCON titles do we have? Are u OK? Never benefited Nigeria is crazy.

Which one is so what? U are the one who brought up champions league. Now u want to so wat me cos ur story isn't adding up. Outside Gift Monday, what out and out winger do we have on the team?

Deborah training Stop the CAP. Cos Pittsburgh already had their spring ball which she was not a part of and that will be it until they get ready for the season. The NCAA is not professional football, they have rules against training year round.

[b]Deborah Abiodun already proved u wrong by getting those 2 high profile cap[/b]s but i don't have a contract with her or anybody else. Right is right and wrong is wrong. U claim u didn't want to set her up for failure back then but now u agree she should make a World Cup squad after missing almost a whole season of action. Isn't that hypocritic? When she was playing in all these competitions u said she wasn't ready but now that she has gone to the US after missing basically a season of action u are all in

There is always a first time for everything. Doing it the 'traditional way' has never benefited Nigeria in terms of performance at the WWC, so nothing wrong it trying an alternative approach.

Flourish played more CL and NWSL games, while Debbie played only 2 NWSL games before she went to Pittsburgh. So what?
Flourish is not a critical need to the team - as a DM, Debbie is and so she made the team. Randy believed the quality of training at Pitt (and at US D1 Colleges) surpasses that in the NWSL, especially regarding the quality of players he wants on his team to prosecute the WWC.
Makes perfect sense to me!

Its funny - months ago during the qualifiers for the U20 WWC, you were adamant about Debbie being fast tracked to the National team (I recall debating you on this issue, citing she shouldn't be set up for failure). Months AFTERWARDS (U20WWC, two high profile international caps against the US and Japan, where according to you in your video, she performed brilliantly and was recruited by the University of Pittsburgh who offered a full ride scholarship), you now turn around and cry BS?

The truth of the matter is she is deserving of her WWC spot. She has EARNED it!

BascoVanVeli:
When last have u seen Nigeria release a list direct like this? Why wouldn't an ex international speak out when u are going against the norm?

I said she played 2 matches this season in the league before she went to Pittsburgh. That is not so hard to understand. If we are going by champions league and U20 Flourish should be invited for sure cos she played in the more recent champions league.

I made those videos and I will continue to be a fan of Deborah Abiodun but this is total BS. The man used that spot to get her in his college. What is the difference between that and asking for money?

Why do you need a training session to release a final list? There were at least 5 or 6 countries that released their final 23 without a single traiing session. After Nigeria had played 5 matches in the past 4 months, the team was pretty much set. No need for any camp to determine who to pick. The lady's comments were completely irrelevant.

Regarding Ajibola, which once or twice did Debbie play in the league? She was with Rivers Angels during their 2021 CAF Champions League qualifications and Campaign, as well as the FIFA U20WWC. So, why is she not deserving of a spot? Your performance video of her contradicts your comments


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqQVRGK4iFc


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGZiMmi8EJM

BascoVanVeli:
Mehn u are trying to change the subject. Her first point was absolutely valid, who releases a final list without 1 single training session?

Then u have Deborah Abiodun who has been balling for years and getting ignored but once she agrees to play for Waldrum at Pittsburgh she makes a world cup? This is a player that only played once or twice in the league. Make it make sense.

Some of these ex players just talk without reason or deep thinking.
My response is: Who on the list isn't Nigerian and who on the list should be dropped for an underdeveloped home based player?

The best Nigerian players were selected by Randy. He has worked with them for over a year and knows they have what it takes to compete against the best in the world. LET HIM DO HIS EFFING JOB!!!

When he leaves the team, you can appoint your bush uneducated coaches and let them do what they want. When the likes of Ghana and Ivory Coast knock Nigeria out of the Olympics again, these same ex players will be the same ones advocating for a foreign coach. Circle of insanity!

Deltamani:
Former SuperFalcons goalkeeper Judith Chime have this to say…

Udoh is just trying to stir up a hornets nest.
If he employed common sense, he would realize Okobi had really become less and less relevant to the team.
The last five games showed Echegini on the accendancy and if he bothered to be objective, he would have realized she was a direct and credible threat to Okobi.

Deltamani:
This Okobi Exclusion matter still da rise up 🆙

Agree, but overall, the list is very okay.

solonnachi:
I prefer Nicole Payne to Glory Ogbonna.
But overall the list is tight and right.
I'm satisfied.
I hope they will all bring their A-game

Classic case of 'Karma being a b!tch'

Randy handled the situation with her maturely - Okobi showed the world her poor team player and lack of leadership skills. Ripping into the coach and team mates, then expecting that it wouldn't influence the final team selection is the height of immaturity on her part.

It is even more difficult to argue against her being dropped, especially when the person who displaced her from the team (Onyi Echegini) is much younger, more energetic and brings a lot more intelligent play to the team that she does.

She could have handled this better.

lovewins:
Another reason why I sincerely have reservations about Okobi. I've said it over and again here, if I were Waldrum, the last time Okobi will play for me was when she went on that live and made a mess of her entire team.

Just hours after the world cup list is released she's reacting like this?

Don't get me wrong, I think she has a right to her reactions and rumours has it that until a few days ago her name was on the list, but a team player will probably wait till the end of the competition, and even at that be circumspect with her speech.

The height of it for me was when she said to the entire world that Randy didn't know anything, like your coach? Whatever your reservations are you should never say that about your boss, much more to the entire world.

In fairness to Ordega, she has been playing very well for her team Spartak Moskow and is in good shape.
She always bring a certain energy to the team and she is a proven leader - very well liked by the younger ones on the team (same with Oparanozie). Not sure that is the case with Okobi, as far as team dynamics is concerned.

I think the right players were selected in this case.

ekehopp2:
Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene own pain me no be small. She even captained 3rd place match at WAFCON.
I would have taken her ahead of Francis Ordega.

Your comments are spot on.
I am excited about the energy that the Ucheibe-Payne-Echegini midfield will bring to the team to support the pace of the Kanu-Oshoala-Okoronkwo frontline (in the absence of Ajibade and Ayinde who are on suspension due to red cards from the WAFCON).

Good squad all around.

Danielnino00:
I don't think the team will miss Okobi..Let's be honest, she's past her best... She doesnt play the role of a AM effectively anymore...shes more like a CM that enjoys hogging the ball now .

In the absence of Ayinde in midfield, I think Ucheibe, Payne and Echijini will do the job..
Without Ajibade on the wing, we're fine too.. our attack is loaded well enough...

Sorry, but don't fault her being dropped. Its a case of who is 'hot' right now and she most definitely is NOT!

Not only has Ngozi Okobi she not been able to secure basic playing time with her clubside, she also has been relegated to a bit part player role over the past 5 games with the Super Falcons. Onye Echegini pretty much displaced her from the midfield, bringing in a whole lot more energy, intelligent play and raw grit to the team's midfield. And when you consider Toni Payne has now been considered the designated AM, the writing was on the wall for Okobi. It was pretty obvious in the last 2 games that Okobi was no longer useful and I am not surprised she was dropped.

The surprise for me is Debbie Ajibola being picked over Regina Otu. In fairness, Regina has really not been able to step up her game and her inability to do that cost her a spot. Ajibola being picked will help her tremendously at Univ. of Pittsburgh as well as in the NCAA tournaments.

All in all, a very solid team.

Jojodjo:
You never can tell; age aside, Ngozi Okobi still has something left. I might be wrong but the composure she can bring off the bench when needed would be missed.

Our girls worked hard to get Nigeria to the World Cup.
Yet, they are being treated like crap by these horrible, evil minded people at the NFF.

☹️☹️

Meanwhile, Nigeria is still effing around, because some NFF bastards are hell bent on torpedoing the team by unlawfully enriching themselves at the expense of those ladies who worked hard to get the country to the WWC.

Not true.
Randy’s pecking order is:
Oshoala
Oparanozie
Onumonu
And this will be the ranking especially since Onumonu is returning from a hip injury

Deltamani:
Randy will definitely have Onumonu as his starting no.9 if Oshoala isn’t fit which I doubt.

Until we start naming names and calling them out, we all here arepart and parcel of the problem.

Deltamani:
NFF is the major problem behind what is going on now, Why force a Player on a Coach who already has and knows the players he wants for the World Cup…

Again the team have started gelling well, why bring in someone new entirely that hasn’t played under him once and he himself doesn’t want that player??

Randy has every right to be angry…! And I won’t even blame him if the Falcons perform poorly at the World Cup..

It’s a long and informative interview, which I would encourage all here to watch when they have the time.
However, in answering your question, focus on minutes 44 thru 50. He also discusses the challenges with the Nigerian setup.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKc_8nVTeEM

lovewins:
Can you reference where he said this?

He already said he will be focusing 100% on his Pitt job and will step aside after the WWC.

Nigeria will be coached by Danjuma for the Olympics qualifiers, so you can expect a repeat of what happened during the last time, especially when you have a useless coach in charge.

lovewins:
Considering the incompetence the current NFF board has shown so far, I really hope Randy doesn't leave after the world cup. We are better off with Randy at the helms than the calamity they hope to impose on us should he resign. My major grouse with Randy has been his tactical deficit but he's shown great improvement the last couple of games.

Trust me, with what Gasau has shown so far in handling both the Eagles and the Falcon's, we are better off with Randy.

Even the NFF, as corrupt as they are, wouldn't be that stupid to drop Echegini for some nobody who has no zero influence on the team.
As much as I like Debbie Ajibola and believe she is one for the future, she is not anywhere close to the class Echegini brings to the midfield.

isan:
I fear player like Echegini might not make the list , since she hasn't been in the team for long NFF can easily replace her with an home base players

Yes.
That's because Florida State U was able to grant Onyi dispensation from her final exams at the last minute. Randy promptly added her onto the squad when Onyi confirmed that to him.
Nicole Payne (USC), on the other hand, was not able to be excused from her finals and was therefore unable to make the trip.

isan:
Don't forget waldrum left out echegini from the list against haiti and New Zealand only to call in die minutes

When Onyi joined the team, the midfield really began to tick.
She successfully displaced Okobi without any controversy and has really elevated that department in the squad. Baring Injury, she should be on the list to go for the WWC.

There is absolutely NO home based better that any of the girls we have right now! None!!!

isan:
It's not about who has been in the team long it'll just be an excuse for the NFF to include their own favorite

You can add Oshoala and Oparanozie to that list also.

Oparanozie did not play a single minute of qualifiers and has been absent from the Falcons for over 2 years, while Oshoala did not play in any of the qualifiers and barely played 45 minutes in the WAFCON.

Question is: should both players then be dropped to accommodate lesser quality or home based players? It ain’t gonna work for Nigeria.

lovewins:
Which home based player has been on the team as long as Onyi. If they want to use politics to displace her, it will likely be an old player in her position not home based.

In thinking about it some more, the 'four homebased player inclusion' theory was based, according to Gusau, on saving money for qualifiers.

FIFA shoulders the costs of transportation and lodging for all countries that qualify.
Therefore, there should be absolutely NO excuse to mandate homebased players on the WWC Squad.

Deltamani:
Report has it that Four home-based players will be included in the Final List for the World Cup..