I’ve tremendous respect for the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Ibrahim Musa Gusau. I actually encountered him once during the 10-Year Football Committee’s interaction with key stakeholders of the game. I recall asking Gusau if he thought being a member of the NFF board then and also doubling as the chairman of Zamfara State Football Association was appropriate. My heart sank when he justified the misnomer by saying that it is enshrined in the NFF Statutes. I was, however, shocked when he ranted around Abuja and wrote on the federation’s platforms stating that he put in my place by his nauseating response.
Was it a personal thing between Gusau and I? Certainly not. I just did my bit as a member of the committee. I’m, therefore, not shocked to hear that the president thinks that Super Falcons’ American coach, Randy Waldrum should be given another chance by renewing his contract which expired on October 31. I would have aligned with Gusua’s position if Waldrum didn’t lie to his part-time employers, NFF that he had pressing personal matters which prevented him from honouring Nigeria’s two-legged games against Ethiopia in Addis Ababa and Abuja. He lied that his wife was due for a surgery. What manner of man would wish his wife a fake surgical operation? He certainly cannot be trusted.
Waldrum forgot that the world is a global village where all activities are captured in the media. Footages of the games which prevented Waldrum from honouring the matches involving his part-time job’s employers can be found in YouTube as a clear evidence of where his loyalty lies. So, Gusau, why should Waldrum be reappointed having seen incontrovertible evidence that he lied about his wife’s illness?
One cannot understand why anyone would accuse the coach of abandonment now if indeed his contract lapsed on October 31? It must be stated here categorically that Waldrum failed the first test loyalty t his employers when he was seen sitting n the bench backing out instructions to his university college side. Waldrum’s name was listed on the match forms of both matches as the team’s coach. This presupposes that he was the one who prepared the players for the matches and had a place on the bench for both games.
What other evidence does Gusau need to save Nigeria from the shame of being dumped by a coach for a university side? My heart still bleeds that Waldrum’s sack is being discussed. Perhaps, to allow him defend himself against the stark evidence the NFF has against him. What Waldrum did by dishonouring Nigeria’s matches is a breach of contract whether or not Nigeria is owing him some of his monthly wages. Had Waldrum, the University of Pittsburgh Panthers women’s head coach not being captured in the YouTube report barking out instructions to his girls, the excuse that his wife was ill would have been tenable. If he sat at the state box to watch the games, it would have been understandable. Having is name on the matches’ manifest shows that he indeed prepared his side, the University of Pittsburgh Panthers for the game. He also sat on the bench to correct their mistakes in the course of the games.
If NFF board members still think Nigeria has her pride and integrity as a nation to protect, then Waldrum’s contract must be terminated and process towards achieving this sack must start now, dear Gusau. Put simply, Wakldrum chose the University of Pittsburgh Panthers women’s head coach job over Nigeria’s Super Falcons assignments. And he should go now.
Gusau and indeed, NFF members won’t say that it isn’t common knowledge that Waldrum disliked his Nigerian assistants comprising of Coaches Justin Madugu, Ann Chiejine, and Auwal Makwalla who eventually handled the two legged ties against Ethiopia in Addis Ababa and Abuja. Nigeria drew the first game 1-1 and spanked the Ethiopians 4-0 in Abuja. The Super Falcons are pitched against the Cameroonians and this shouldn’t be the reason to press the panic button to justify the reappointment of Randy Waldrum. No way.
We shouldn’t always make our local coaches look like ball boys and girls before half baked foreign coaches who aren’t good enough to handle their countries’ soccer teams. If we don’t allow our coaches learn on the job by giving them the desired exposure against top sides such as the Lionesses of Cameroun, how would they grow to handle the teams?
Gusau cannot say that the players didn’t send a representation to him in the federation’s Abuja office pleading that Waldrum shouldn’t be reappointed for the good of female sfootball at that level. Gusau should be guided by the fact that Spain, the current Women’s World Cup champions sacked their winning coach based on complaints from his senior players among other unethical reasons.
NFF should learn how to provide the platform for our established stars in the retirement to rain to coaches and or administrators depending on their areas of proficiency. Coach Ann Chiejine should be encouraged to participate in high level coaching courses to prepare her for full time coaching at the national level, having played the game at the top.
Commentaries on the Super Falcons at the last women World Cup co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia would have been anchored on Chiejine’s exploits as a goalkeeper for Nigeria in previous women World Cups which she participated in with pictures from match videos of yore. Chiejine’s elevation from manning the goalposts t sitting on the bench to dish out instructions to the players would have shown the NFF as a federation with foresights and the players would respect her knowing that she is a legend of the game.
I consider women’s football as a novelty, especially with a poor economy. I admire the girls who play the game, knowing the unscrupulous options which they would have taken if they were to behave like those who use what they have to get what they want.
Anytime the NFF recruits foreign coaches it always clear that they weren’t recruited to train and retrain our domestic coaches working with them. The foreign coaches come with their nationals to fill the coaching spaces, making the Nigerians’ presence in the teams look like a duplication of roles. These assistants are usually specialists in one area of the game. What it means in strict terms is that they are usually hired by clubs to solve problems in smaller or bigger clubs for a fee depending on their pedigree in such areas. What these assistants do is relegate the Nigerians in the technical crew to mere watchers of training sessions.
There is the need to ask the NFF chieftains who coached the young girl who are now doing well in Europe. Of course, Nigerians in the 774 Local Government Areas in the country who work as games masters and games mistresses.
A foreign coach who abhors his Nigerian assistants should go. A foreign coach who calls his employers thieves has no business being an employee. A foreign coach who publicly asks his employers what they used FIFA’s $960,000 for shouldn’t be given a second chance to perhaps slap such an employer on the pitch in front of his players. A foreign coach who isn’t ready to live with Nigerians here for any reason should be sacked forthwith. So, Gusau, ask Waldrum to show us his back since he has burnt his candles on both ends. Hasn’t he? You tell me, dear reader.
