NFF “PREPARATIONS” FOR UPCOMING FEMALE NT GAMES

[Gotti]

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Do folks realize that the Super Falcons’ have a COMPETITIVE match next week?

In fact, over the next six weeks or so, two of our female national teams, the Super Falcons and the U20 Falconets, will be playing six (6) COMPETITIVE matches, starting as from NEXT WEEK - and as of the moment, there are NO lists of players nor coaches named for these games.

First, as alluded to up top, the Super Falcons are billed to play in the first round of the WAFCON 2024 qualifiers next week Friday September 22 (with the return leg on Monday September 25), and granted that it is a game we should ordinarily expect to easily triumph (since it is against São Tomé and Principe), and will likely utilize a home-based squad, we do not yet have a list nor in fact know who will be our coach for the game (since Randy Waldrum’s new contract is reportedly currently being negotiated, presumably an IC “interim” coach will be used).

Next, the U20 Falconets will play an AWAY game being their first game of the second round of the the 2024 U20 WC qualifiers (again, a game that we should expect to win without much fuss since it is against Mauritius) in about 3 weeks, between October 6-8 (with the return leg in mid-October), and as of today there is as of yet no published list of players nor a coach named for the team or the fixtures (albeit presumably Chris Danjuma will most likely be the coach - and in that case would be expected to utilize much of the WAFU B U2O Female Cup squad.

While we should expectedly have little issues in prosecuting the two aforementioned ties with home-based players, one consideration to bear in mind is that the NWFL Premiership has been on break since its last season ended back in mid-June, and thus the MATCH fitness of the players would be uncertain at best (except for perhaps Delta Queens’ players who played in the WAFU B Club Championships last month). Furthermore, with regards to the Falconets, some of the players who played in the U20 WAFU B Female Cup might not be age-eligible for the 2024 WC (eg, Esther Onyenezide).

Finally, the Super Falcons will be playing against Ethiopia in the second round of the 2024 Olympic Games qualifying series in the final week of October (starting with an AWAY leg on October 23 and the return on October 31). Presumably the contract for Randy Waldrum’s reported renewal term would have been sorted by then, and since the games will be played during a FIFA International Window (btw, so would the games next week and September 25 against São Tomé), one would expect that the Ethiopian games will be prosecuted with a reasonably full-strength Super Falcons’ squad.

Good preparation and good administration is a HABIT! Unfortunately, with the noise of the WWC behind us (and presumably all the money attached to our participation has since been shared or otherwise consumed), we seem to have slipped back to our old habits of the fire brigade off-the-cuff “preparations” (or, more precisely, the lack thereof). Accordingly, with a game next week and the domestic female league on break, we apparently have not even bothered to name a coach or call up players - and while may deride that “after all, it’s only São Tomé” BAD HABITS ARE DIFFICULT TO BREAK!

[Gotti]

Here is the full schedule of upcoming competitive fixtures…

WAFCON 2024 Qualifiers
1. Super Falcons vs São Tomé (Sept. 22);
2. São Tomé vs Super Falcons (Sept 25);

U20 WC 2024 Qualifiers
3. Mauritius vs U20 Falconets (Oct. 6-8);
4. U20 Falconets vs Mauritius (Oct. 13-15);

2024 Olympics Games Qualifiers
5. Ethiopia vs Super Falcons (October 23-31); and
6. Super Falcons vs Ethiopia (October 23-31).

PS: After we hurriedly assemble players who are presently on their off-season break and most of whom never have played together as a TEAM and name an “interim” or “emergency” IC coach for the next week’s games, and the Falconets’ games in about 3 weeks, and heaven forbid the team gives less than a cohesive performance or fails to trash the opposition, many folks on CE (such as the reflexive Cultists OTIOTOKORO and TXJ ) will blame the alleged technical and tactical deficiencies of ICs.

[jette1]

Just - the Wao ! Signal

[ohenhen1]

The coach should use most of the U20 players plus a few senior players for the next game.

[Bigpokey24]

[Gotti]

[ohenhen1]

It is time for Ebi to retire. She has done well.

[Gotti]

It is time for Ebi to retire. She has done well.

Agreed…
The WWC should’ve been her international swan song, and the NFF should be helping her transit to coaching.

[Damunk]

It is time for Ebi to retire. She has done well.

Agreed…
The WWC should’ve been her international swan song, and the NFF should be helping her transit to coaching.

Looks like she’s intent on doing a Musa on us.

[packerland]

It is time for Ebi to retire. She has done well.

Agreed…
The WWC should’ve been her international swan song, and the NFF should be helping her transit to coaching.

Looks like she’s intent on doing a Musa on us.

It’s looking like it

[Damunk]

It is time for Ebi to retire. She has done well.

Agreed…
The WWC should’ve been her international swan song, and the NFF should be helping her transit to coaching.

Looks like she’s intent on doing a Musa on us.

It’s looking like it

They should go and marry ‘jare.
Each other.

[mystic]

It is time for Ebi to retire. She has done well.

Agreed…
The WWC should’ve been her international swan song, and the NFF should be helping her transit to coaching.

Looks like she’s intent on doing a Musa on us.

I expect her to be eased out once our coaching situation is settled. The fact that she's home based now (given how hastily this squad must have been put together) likely cinched her invite. As for the squad itself, it's a really good mix of established players and up and comers from our age grade teams that really deserve an opportunity (only other U20 player I would have liked to see called up is Oluchi Oheagbulam but her time will come)

[Gotti]

I expect her to be eased out once our coaching situation is settled. The fact that she's home based now (given how hastily this squad must have been put together) likely cinched her invite. As for the squad itself, it's a really good mix of established players and up and comers from our age grade teams that really deserve an opportunity (only other U20 player I would have liked to see called up is Oluchi Oheagbulam but her time will come)

Her time may well come in the future…
But PRESENTLY I thought she was the weakest (relative, of course) of the back-four at the U20 WAFU B Cup in Ghana.

Ironic, because she was skipper of the Falconets at the U20 WAFU B Cup. Nonetheless, Chidinma Ogbuchi was the undoubted leader of that back-four, and given she will be ineligible (I think, but unsure) for the 2024 U20 WWC would have been my own personal preference for present transition to the Super Falcons. While at it, I would also have left out Comfort Folorunsho), who substantively played a bit part at the U20 WAFU B Cup, after having been supplanted by the impressive Shukura Oladapo (who was moved from a right midfield/right winger role) after the first game.

In fact, all of the back-four, Shukura Oladapo probably has the most upside (albeit it seems her best position is still uncertain, as she plays in attack and midfield at club level, and was listed as a midfielder in the Falconets squad). Nonetheless, given the Falconets have their own qualifiers coming up in about 3 weeks, perhaps it’s best that U20 players (which perhaps wouldn’t include Chidinma Ogbuchi, but would Folorunsho) be generally excluded and allowed to train and prepare for their own games given the limited time available and the unlikelihood of seeing playing time in the SFs’ São Tomé matches.

The upcoming Falconets qualifying games in early-October is the reason that I am rather non-plussed about the non-invitation of U20 players such as the GK Angeline Mgbechi (who was the NWFL Premier League GK of the Season) or Chinyere Kalu, the one player who would most likely come closest to reprising the Christy Uchiebe (or Halimatu Ayinde) holding role.
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[1naija]

Esther finally in the senior team


Ifeoma needs to start justifying her invitations. She is fast becoming the Awoniyi of the Super Falcons.....very little to show for enormous minutes played.

[1naija]

Opeyemi in the squad too.

[Gotti]

BTW, some lists in the media include PSG’s Nicole Payne…

[ohenhen1]

The future is bright, The Falcons needs funding. Maybe the private sector or an arrangement with a state governor. Also need to ask the coach to be a full time coach. So many talents in the local league. Players are getting old and will need to be replaced. Can’t have a part time coach. The US college season is currently on going,

[mystic]

I expect her to be eased out once our coaching situation is settled. The fact that she's home based now (given how hastily this squad must have been put together) likely cinched her invite. As for the squad itself, it's a really good mix of established players and up and comers from our age grade teams that really deserve an opportunity (only other U20 player I would have liked to see called up is Oluchi Oheagbulam but her time will come)

Her time may well come in the future…
But PRESENTLY I thought she was the weakest (relative, of course) of the back-four at the U20 WAFU B Cup in Ghana.

Ironic, because she was skipper of the Falconets at the U20 WAFU B Cup. Nonetheless, Chidinma Ogbuchi was the undoubted leader of that back-four, and given she will be ineligible (I think, but unsure) for the 2024 U20 WWC would have been my own personal preference for present transition to the Super Falcons. While at it, I would also have left out Comfort Folorunsho), who substantively played a bit part at the U20 WAFU B Cup, after having been supplanted by the impressive Shukura Oladapo (who was moved from a right midfield/right winger role) after the first game.

In fact, all of the back-four, Shukura Oladapo probably has the most upside (albeit it seems her best position is still uncertain, as she plays in attack and midfield at club level, and was listed as a midfielder in the Falconets squad). Nonetheless, given the Falconets have their own qualifiers coming up in about 3 weeks, perhaps it’s best that U20 players (which perhaps wouldn’t include Chidinma Ogbuchi, but would Folorunsho) be generally excluded and allowed to train and prepare for their own games given the limited time available and the unlikelihood of seeing playing time in the SFs’ São Tomé matches.

The upcoming Falconets qualifying games in early-October is the reason that I am rather non-plussed about the non-invitation of U20 players such as the GK Angeline Mgbechi (who was the NWFL Premier League GK of the Season) or Chinyere Kalu, the one player who would most likely come closest to reprising the Christy Uchiebe (or Halimatu Ayinde) holding role.
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I guess we see a few things differently. I actually really liked what I saw from Oluchi at the WAFU tournament. I'm also a big fan of Comfort Folorunsho's talent (both with the U17 and U20 teams) so I have no qualms with her invitation. As for the rest of your submission I do not disagree at all (I really liked Oladapo as well). Overall I'm very excited about our future provided that we continue to provide a platform for our girls to succeed at all levels.

[Gotti]

I guess we see a few things differently. I actually really liked what I saw from Oluchi at the WAFU tournament. I'm also a big fan of Comfort Folorunsho's talent (both with the U17 and U20 teams) so I have no qualms with her invitation. As for the rest of your submission I do not disagree at all (I really liked Oladapo as well). Overall I'm very excited about our future provided that we continue to provide a platform for our girls to succeed at all levels.

Completely agree that many will see things differently…

Nevertheless, my point about Comfort Folorunsho is not about her talent or potential (which is undoubted) but rather that given that the U20 team has a competitive qualifier in barely 3 weeks and that she was unable to hold onto a starting shirt at the U20 level this year (even moreso that she was supplanted by a player who started in midfield/wing in the only game that Folorunsho started - albeit Shukura Oladapo’s own talent is similarly undoubted), Folorunsho is unlikely to see any (or at best very little) playing time for the SFs against São Tomé, and thus perhaps BOTH teams and the player herself would’ve been better served by leaving her out of the PRESENT SF squad and instead having her join the (as yet un-named) U20 squad from Day One.

Overall, I have NO substantive issues with the list though.

[Gotti]

Noticed that Tosin Demehin was not in the squad today for Reim’s 2-0 league victory over Yewande Balogun’s St. Etienne side (Yewande was on the bench). I wonder if Tosin is currently injured or otherwise unavailable for Friday’s game.

[OJI]

Wait o! What ever happened to Deborah Abiodun of Univ. of Pittsburgh? Still unavailable for the match due to the straight red card at the WC?

[ohenhen1]

Wait o! What ever happened to Deborah Abiodun of Univ. of Pittsburgh? Still unavailable for the match due to the straight red card at the WC?

College is in session. Probably asked to be excused to focus on school and college games

[Gotti]

Wait o! What ever happened to Deborah Abiodun of Univ. of Pittsburgh? Still unavailable for the match due to the straight red card at the WC?

Abiodun and Echegini are in the middle of their academic and the NCAA season…
They are not really needed for this game against minnows (with all due respect) such as São Tomé.