₦airaland Forum

Not sure about this team.
They have the potential to be very good, but poor decision making upfront will be their Achilles heel.
Let's hope they make it to the semis, but against either US or Brazil, I really don't know.

Paris FC vs Stade de Reims (D1 Arkema)
Tosin Demehin Debut
FULL MATCH


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ag6vjtPJpi4

No.
FIFA tries to make sure during the draws that countries from the same confederation do not end up in the same group, thats why you have all non-top seeded Asian teams, and African teams in the same Pot 3.
Nothing nefarious going on.

justicechichex:
Easiest for the SF will be:
New Zealand, Korea, Vietnam, Nigeria

Toughest would be:
USA, Netherlands, Denmark, Nigeria.

Btw, how's countries like Vietnam, Ireland in port 3 and Nigeria is in port? Meaning they're ahead in the FIFA rankings?

Ajibade in action today (4 goals)
FULL MATCH


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

That’s going to change soon.
It’s clear Ajibade is superior to both of them and is currently, IMHO, the best Female African player at the moment.

isan:
CAf still rate Ajibade below the likes of Ajara and chawinga

Its the so-called Nigerian journalists that keep asking him the same silly questions over and over again, which he keeps answering. Is it not a fact that other African nations have been 'catching up' and making progress in women's football, which is similar to what's happening with the rest of the world?. Is it not a fact that Nigeria cannot just wake up on the eve of a tournament and expect to go there and dominate (as in the past), solely based on name recognition?
Nigerians love burying their heads in the sand, expecting the rest of the continent (and world) remain at a stand still. Guess what? They are not and that is why the likes of Morrocco, South Africa, Zambia and others are progressing fast!

daveP:
This man is so concerned with other teams catching us with us than he improving the team to show that we're changing the gear. The inference in his speech is enough to get him fired. How many times does he need to keep saying that?

I guess its his job to get on the field and score now, right? As a coach, you prosecute a game with the players at your disposal. Now, if those players aren't up to the task (contrary to the misguided beliefs of Nigerians that all their players are the best in the world), then you get what you get. If you like, go and get yourself a Pia Sundhagen or Sarina Wiegman or Vlatko Andonovski or even Florence Omagbemi for that matter. It wouldn't change a damn thing!
He has been working on making our ladies team more tactically and strategically competent and it has been working, at least, in the eyes of others outside of this forum who understand the tactical and strategic nuances of the game. I, for one, saw a Nigerian ladies team, short on personnel and acclimatization (due to jet lag) play against the Japanese and dominated in the first half. I saw them playing the high block and low block and moving the ball around brilliantly and impressively.
Now, I get that most so-called fans may lack the ability to recognize such subtle improvements (perhaps due to their pre-conceived biases), but that doesn't take away from that fact that those improvements have actually happened.

daveP:
He can't even make these ladies score under 30mins. How does he want to do it at the WC? 3defeats??
If they are catching up, your assignment is to increase the momentum. Rather we hear the opposite and this can't even be accommodated if it was coming from a local coach.

You need to understand that in the overall scheme of things, specifically pre-Waldrum, Nigeria really dropped the ball regarding women's football development and we were slowly being left behind. Unfortunately, the same myopic, 'we are not playing beautiful football and whooping teams left and right' mantra was what led to the idiotic decision behind the firing or Rohr, which ended up being a total disaster. We keep making the same dumb mistakes (not just in football, but in Nigeria as a whole) and expect to get better. Well...

daveP:
Im tired of this man, sincerely. He is beginning to feel Invincible to whatever we observe.

In closing: I was asked (in a previous thread) why I am in support of the man. Well, here's my response...
Randy has worked on revamping the team, slowly transitioning from the old brigade to newer, younger players and also infusing the team with new players who are more in tune with the modern game. The build up and climb to the summit takes time, and is filled with disappointments (failing fast, learning, correcting and moving forward). Losses in irrelevant battles (friendlies) are not a predicate for how the war (the WC) will turn out, but are used to help identify areas of weakness and shoring them up (failing fast to succeed later). This is the same model that the likes of England, Spain, Mexico and several other countries used over the years, with some success. Our SF performances against Canada, US and Japan, albeit losses, demonstrated to me that he is on the right track - again, patiently building a solid and robust team. Let the man finish his project!!!

Last time I checked, Flourish Sebastian was 17 at the time she played against Japan.
And your point is...?

lovewins:
The USA gave a 17year old high school student playing time against England. If it was our guy Randy he'll do otherwise.

And this is one of the reasons why most Nigerian sports journalists are regarded as mediocre...
How does what Randy actually said tally with what this hack of a journalist decided to use as her headline?
Sensationalizing and Gaslighting the public.

Deltamani:
I Don’t Really Care About What Nigerians Think”- Randy Waldrum Reacts To Super Falcons Critics

By Bethel Kalu - October 8, 2022

Randy says he does not really care about what people are saying about his team and the results of games where he does not have a full squad.
Randy spoke to ESPN: “I don’t put a lot of weight by what everybody outside says or the results of some games where we know half of those games we have not had our full team together

Edwin Okon
What better football are you talking about? 3-3 tie with Sweden? That was the highlight of his career. He flubbed big time against Australia and of course, lost to the US. How can you be a 'good coach', yet, according to you, be tactically unsound? The performance was more individual input and performance on the part of the girls. Lets be objective, please.

Florence Omagbemi
Can't know how good she was, as she really only had continental opposition which, for all intents and purposes, was average at best at the time. I am basing this on the performances of the African teams at the World Cup which, for me, is really the benchmark to measure against. I believe her success was also based on her riding the wave of a previously dominant Nigeria women's football on the continent. That dominance has since been challenged, especially with the significant investments made by countries like Zambia, Morrocco and South Africa in women's football. Not sure she would make a difference, if any, on our current team and their performance. Also, has she increased her knowledge of the game, which has since evolved significantly since 2016? Not sure.

So called 'World Class' coach
For the umpteenth time, Nigeria will not get a Pia Sundhagen or any other supposed 'WC coach'. Why? Nigeria cannot afford such a coach. Pinnick was right in ignoring the recommendations you made (which you sighted in a previous comment). You cannot pay your players or your local coaches for months and you want to hire a WC coach who would cost millions of dollars? That makes absolutely NO sense at all.

Waldrum
As Waldrum stated, he has created a deeper and much more competitive team, compared to ALL his predecessors. Nigerian women's football have NEVER had the quality of depth it possesses at this point in time, thanks to Randy. For years, we kept playing the same old players over and over again - now they are mostly burned out. These friendlies are to test, especially your new players, against quality opposition and they have availed themselves very well. I thought they dominated proceedings against Japan in this match. For the record, Japan is ranked 11th in the world. Win or lose, as far as I am concerned, Randy's approach has been very successful. I am very optimistic that this team will do well or better than previous performances. Nigerian's need to stop looking for instantaneous gratification and learn to patiently build a team.

Deltamani:
Play terrible like how?

Edwin Okon played better football with the Ladies, just that he wasn’t that tactically Sound…

Florence Omagbemi was better, pacy football and knowing when to punish their opponents but she didn’t stay long….


If they can’t get us a Coach like the Moroccan side coach, let them bring in Omagbemi and Mercy Akide or either of the two…


Enough of Randy Rubbish

Nigeria squad vs Japan

Why is that 'horrible'?
Almost every coach would love to be in a position where they have a plethora of quality players to chose from.
Thing I will credit Randy for is that he has significantly refreshed the team in terms of depth, through the number of new, young and quality players he has sought and engaged. Most importantly, all this done within 2 years of his appointment as head coach.

The team is now on a path for rebirth, when otherwise, it was dying a slow and natural death because previous coaches always relied on the same old tired and 'experienced' legs.

Deltamani:
What a horrible position for Randy Waldrum to be in.. the level and amount of talent to choose from is fantastic. We all have our favourite players, and want to see them in the team, but dang.........!

Alozie subs in during the second half

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zyvFsdfxdc

Because being a team member, especially a national team, is not just limited to one's 'on the field' actions.
Whether you like it or not, you are forced to be a 'role model', as your actions (on or off the field) may have positive or negative influences.

lovewins:
If you had limited your arguments to her position on the field then we wouldn't b having this conversation. You commentary went further than that, you alluded to things off the pitch hence my reservations as we do not have enough in the public fora to make such judgements.

I beg to differ - the likes of Ajibade and Toni Payne add more value to the AM position, even though one might argue they are not 'natural attacking midfielders'.
More troublesome is IF, according to you, she is 'the best we have', then we have set a very low bar for ourselves and that might be one of the reasons the team has yet to fulfill its potential.

Deltamani:
Ngozi Okobi is still the best we have got among all the natural Attacking Midfielder excluding her past performance few years ago…. The likes of Peace Efih, Onyi Echegini and Esther Onyenezide still need more game time to prove themselves, but among the listed trios, I will go with Onyi Echegini as the next AM as she possesses more quality especially her well built Physic…

I have noticed that any time someone has a contrary opinion, especially on most Nigerian forums, people conveniently attribute such non-conforming opinions to 'emotions'.
My stance is based off years of watching her play for Nigeria (over a decade) and her lack of growth and progress. We've seen how the likes of Oshoala, Ajibade and Nnadozie have blossomed, yet she has exhibited a lack of growth and progress (almost to the point of regression), especially in spite of her so called years of 'experience'.
There comes a point in time when one has to fish or cut bait - there are too many up and coming, talented players and the country cannot continue to rely on someone who has repeatedly demonstrated they are incapable of adding the kind of value and promise needed to take us to where we need to be.
As always, my opinions are void of emotions and are solely based on hard football facts.

lovewins:
Your position on Okobi betrays your stance here. I really do not think Okobi is the best we've got, but I know how to separate my opinions from emotions.

There's is nothing (save the interview Okobi did with Team Nigeria) in the publicly fora to justify may of the things you've said (most of which are personal).

I do not despise her...Just don't care about what she brings to the National team.
For someone who is supposed to be a veteran, she is completely lacking in leadership skills and she most certainly does not present herself as a model to be emulated by the younger ones on the team.
She needs to be left to focus on what's left of her club career.

lovewins:
His disgust for Okobi is no secret so no surprise there.

Yes. This is based on many years of watching her play. Classic definition of a 'ball-hog'.
Her first instinct, whenever she gets the ball, is to dribble instead of making that simple pass to someone who is free and better positioned.
Far too many examples of this over the years and in her recent appearances, nothing has changed.

Worse still, her attitude off the pitch is even more annoying, her belief of entitlement. Perhaps she is expressing her frustrations due to her stalled career.

Deltamani:
Are you serious with all this you have just typed??
Maybe there’s a despise from ur own side concerning her..

Okobi a Selfish Player?

Oh, heck no!
So she could learn how to be an arrogant, selfish player? Absolutely Not!
Okobi is certainly not a role model to emulate, on and off the field. She lacks the 'on the ball' intelligence required of a modern day midfielder.
That's why her career as a professional football player has failed to progress.
Okobi has nothing to offer that Onyi would benefit from.

Deltamani:
She’s good…. One for the present and future, She could be the understudy to Okobi but some times I see her as an over Confident player..

Found this online

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlbKOnBt0sA
Clemson vs. Florida State
Onyi Echegini is #6 in white.

Agree. Quite selfish.
In a team like Barca, she might end up confined to the bench if she is not capable of being a team player

Deltamani:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hba9AN1a-Ug



Geyse is such a selfish player, I just hope the Coaches speak to her.

After reading some of the comments here, not surprised about the very limited myopic scope of comments and in Nigeria as a whole.
I will rate him a B+ for his efforts and attempt at making Nigerian football a world football brand. Too many things to state here, from fiscal accountability to establishing a brand name to instituting change on the continent and globally and attempt at modernizing the game in Nigeria.
But of course, Nigerians being who we are, would rather live in the stone age, than move forward. We prefer to degrade and destroy anything that would bring us out of the stone age. That's why Pinnick had to spend the bulk of his tenure fighting frivolous lawsuits and unfounded rumors, intentional roadblocks, sabotage and enemies within and without (including the Nigerian sports ministry, who consistently interfered with his administration and willful refusal to allow and/or provide the use of decent stadia to prosecute WCQ games, leading to the failures we experienced), as well as the constant noise from detractors impacted by his insistence on getting rid of age cheating in our cadet competitions), to name a few. I saw his tenure as a reset of Nigerian football and an attempt to align it with the modern game.

Pinnick, to me, had great vision and so I would rate his tenure highly.

Deltamani:
Eight years of Amaju Pinnick's tenure as the president of the Nigerian Football Federation officially ended today 2014 - 2022.

How would you rate Nigeria's football in the last 8 years?.

Lets dive into this a little...
What exactly did she bring to the table as a top 9?

For example, lets review goals on the national team
- Oparanozie scored 22 total (5 for U20, 17 for SF) over 12 years
- Oshoala has scored 29 total (7 for U20, 22 for SF) over 9 years

So, what exactly makes her a 'Complete' striker? Her pace? Her assists? Her dribbling skills? Her ability to 'high press'?
Sorry, but I really don't know what other attributes make her superior to the other ladies I have listed, who play and have played at a much more higher level than her recently.

Our team is more fluid and faster up front now, than when she was there. She actually slowed down the pace of the attack, with Ordega and Oshoala providing the pace up front. We are better off without her in the mix, to be honest.

Deltamani:
But I will boldly say that since Oparanozie absence Superfalcons still don’t have a better top9 yet… or should I say a Complete no.9

We Nigerians always like to rely on the past, as opposed to moving forward.
We all saw Oparanozie's mediocre performance over the last 3 times she played on the team. Oparanozie is old and tired, which is understandable for someone who has been playing for the Falcons since 2010 - not to mention the Nigerian league for some years before that.

Its time to move forward and explore younger, quicker and more agile players, instead of those on the cusp of retirement. Between Oshoala, Ajibade, Onumonu and Uchenna Kanu, we have much better forwards, than the sluggish, tired and spent Oparanozie.

Deltamani:
Tony Payne can actually slot in the Right Back position if the need arises and Alozie moved to the bench, Desire Oparanozie is more a sure banker as her return will kick Maclean’s out going by experience too. Ify is Randy favourite Striker, he would even try dropping her last last he would only bench her except injury that can result to her dropping..

Monday Gift to come in for who?
Peace Efih for who?

With the exception of 'Ms. Thang', this squad would likely form the core of our team to the World Cup.
Nicole Payne, Echegini (left out due to school), Esther are some that will be in the picture for the WWC

Deltamani:
International Friendly: Waldrum Call Ajibade, Oshoala, Nnadozie, 19 Others For Clash With Japan
September 16, 2022 one comment

Head Coach Randy Waldrum has called up 22 players of the Super Falcons, among them Rasheedat Ajibade and Asisat Oshoala, for next month’s international friendly match against the Senior Women National Team of Japan, Nadeshiko, in Kobe,

The team is dominated by the usual suspects but also welcomes four members of the U20 girls that reached the last eight at the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica in August.

There are first choice goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, defenders Osinachi Ohale and Ashleigh Plumptre, midfielders Regina Otu, Halimatu Ayinde and Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene, and forwards Uchenna Kanu, Gift Monday, Vivian Ikechukwu and Toni Payne.

The match serves as continuation of the Super Falcons’ preparations for next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in Australia and New Zealand, and comes just weeks after a two-match tour of the United States of America, in which they lost 0-4 and 1-2 to the USWNT.
The match holds at the Noevir Stadium, Kobe on Thursday, 6th October.

ALL THE INVITED PLAYERS:

Goalkeepers:
Chiamaka Nnadozie, Nkiruka Obidinma, Yewande Balogun

Defenders:
Osinachi Ohale, Ashleigh Plumptre, Oluwatosin Demehin, Glory Ogbonna, Rofiat Imuran, Michelle Alozie

Midfielders:
Regina Otu, Christy Ucheibe, Halimatu Ayinde, Peace Efih, Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene, Deborah Abiodun

Forwards
Asisat Oshoala, Uchenna Kanu, Ifeoma Onumonu, Gift Monday, Vivian Ikechukwu, Rasheedat Ajibade, Toni Payne

Schemerkhiz,
Unfortunately, Regent University is a Division I South Region member institution in the National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association (NCCAA) and are NOT an NCAA team. Truth is I had never heard of the University until when you mentioned it today.

Doing a bit more research, found this and wasn't surprised. They definitely do not have a big time soccer program like the NCAA schools have, which buttresses my initial point. Again, not trying to disparage Akide or any of the other ladies, but this is problematic if this is the best of Nigerian coaches we have.

Schemerkhiz:
I don't think this is right to say Considering their Capabilities as Coaches abroad.. If they're not good enough they won't even be given the opportunity to work... If the offer doesn't come they will tend to keep the job they have doing.
Mercy didn't just became the head Coach of Regent University, Virginia. She worked her way there from the age grade level..

I'm sorry but who are the 'almost all the SF players' are you referring to? How can players who don't know Omagbemi from a can of worms say they 'want her back'? Someone they've never been coached by or played under? Makes absolutely no sense.

Or are you saying the likes of Okobi or Oparanozie or Onome or Chikwelu should influence the future direction of the team, in terms of coaching personnel? With all due respect, they are on borrowed time and will be phased out soonest. Look, these are the old guard, who have pretty much outlived their usefulness to the team and are seeking to remain relevant. So, their opinion is, for all intents and purposes, pretty much irrelevant, if not inconsequential.

If the two matches against the World Champions proved anything, it is that we DEFINATELY do NOT need those old women anymore on the team. The young ladies have proven they can rub shoulders with the world's best. So those old women can go take a hike!

Schemerkhiz:
But one thing we all should also know is that almost all the Superfalcons players the ones of interacted with if not all likes Omagbemi and want her back.. If you're good, you're good. By the way there's no way all of them will be speaking good of her if she's not good enough...!

Omagbemi being a better coach than Randy is a matter of conjecture on her part, as she is fully entitled to her opinion.
Not surprised she opted not to leave her job, afterall, why would she want to undergo the sham she went through in 2016?

Schemerkhiz:
Omagbemi was asked to work under Randy Waldrum as his Assistant but she refused, citing that she's better than been an Assistant to Randy and also didn't agree to leave her Coaching Job abroad..

2016 was 6 years ago. If she is still coaching a the same level she was in 2016, without any upward mobility, then something is definitely wrong with her being the best choice for Nigeria. Pep Guardiola was an integral part of the Barca set up for many years, so there was no loss in step when he took the reigns.

Look, football has significantly evolved since 2016. Its become more competitive and more scientific. I was struck by the rampant use of technology at the recent U20 WWC, where laptops were being used on the bench of teams. Contrasting that with hearing Danjuma yell and scream instructions at his players during the course of the games, while his counterparts were more focused on the use of their laptops for deeper analysis and strategic planning during the games.

This is not personal, you can clamor all you want for whoever you want - you are well within your rights to do so. I am more focused on reality of the lack of personal growth and upward mobility. The sad truth is Omagbemi or Akide are probably more ill-equipped for the job now, as opposed to 2016. This fact should not be discountenanced or lost on us - there is hardly any Nigerian coach out there equipped for this job, considering the very limited capacity building growth they have undergone on the international stage and how far they have been left behind.

Little wonder why the Nigerian options out there have made little progress since 2016..

Deltamani:
I wonder the point you’re trying to prove here, Which team was Omagbemi Coaching before she took the job back in 2016?? Same Youth team.

Look at Pep Guadiola for Example, he was Barcelona Youth team Coach before he was given the job to handle the main team..

For your Information Florence Omagbemi is good enough, she has Nothing to prove again, I’m one of those Clamouring for her and Mercy Akide Udoh… If you don’t like it back off..

By the way I gave an Option that if the NFF can’t give us World Class Foreign Coach they should settle for the Ex-internationals who are Coaching. This Ladies have played at the highest level, they know the pressure involved in Playing and Coaching Nigeria, You can’t Compare that to Randy…

Imagine NFF giving Florence the amount of Support they gave to Randy.

She’s not just Coaching U14 for Coaching sake but Wining trophies Back to Back.

You missed my fore-leading point that the Federation is dirt broke.
Be it whatever currency, the coffers are completely dry.
So, its going to be dejavu with Omagbemi, regarding the reason she was initially let go - inability of the federation to pay remunerations, which led to the protest which she allegedly 'supported'.

And besides, going through what she went before, it would be odd to expect that she wouldn't want to have a contract signed in terms of lenght and remunerations, this time around. Something the federation will likely struggle to agree with.

lovewins:
The difference though is that Omagbemi or Akide won't be paid in dollars (sadly so). Nigerian coaches no matter their pedigree usually get paid in Naira be the NFF. Same would have applied to them.

Understood, but even at that, the Federations is dirt broke. Sponsorship funds are non-existent and the Ministry who could have helped is bloody useless.
So, where's the money gonna come from? No coach worth his/her salt would want to coach a big team like Nigeria pro-bono. Nigeria is lucky to get a coach like Randy who agreed to work part-time and be paid on an appearance basis, not full time salary. The amount of money he gets paid by Univ. of Pittsburgh is about 2 or 3 times what he makes with Nigeria.
Or wouldn't the likes of Omagbemi and co want to be paid on a salary/annual basis?

lovewins:
I get your point, but no women's team coach earns in millions of dollars. I think the highest yearly salary for a women's football national team coach is still less than $500,000. Not like we can afford that anyway, but I get your

@ Deltamani & Schemerkhiz...
Game time for Imuran is 3 of 4 halves, including going the full 90min against the World Champions and giving a credible outing.
Patty is yet to get a single minute of action since the Turkish invitational.
It seems pretty clear Patty is not being reckoned as good enough at the moment.

Deltamani:
I disagree, Patty have not gotten the Kind of minutes the likes of Imuran, Nicole Payne and Glory Ogbonna had. Game time first before any final Conclusion

At this juncture, and based on her performance at the U20 and her cameos against the World Champions US, I would place Imuran ahead of her.

Deltamani:
Favourite Left Back, Left Winger…