Izuchukwu OkosiSuper Falcons head coach Randy Waldrum has revealed the hard times he went through with his team at the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco as they had disputes with the Nigeria Football Federation over match fees.
Consequently, the players went on a strike during the tournament where they finished in fourth place.
In an interview with another media organization in the United States, Waldrum threatened to not take the team to the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
“At some point, it becomes about what’s right or wrong,” Waldrum said during Pittsburgh’s Sound off on Soccer podcast with John Krysinksy.
“There are the small stories of what’s gone on but it’s in a really bad place to be going to a World Cup. That’s to a point that I’m sitting here, supposed to go Sunday, but seriously thinking do I really need to go?
Waldrum admitted that the team’s preparation was not too notch and were not in a good place to contest for the title.
“I know we’re not prepared the way we need to be. I’ve been very frustrated with the federation and the lack of support.
“We were supposed to have a camp for 10-12 days in Nigeria before going to Australia for another 10-15 days but the federation cancelled the camp.
Ahead of their 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup opening game against Republic of Ireland on July 21 which kicks off at 4.30am Nigerian time, Waldrum vigorously defended his players who had faceoffs with the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation officials.
“We have less days than a college preseason to prepare for the World Cup and it blows my mind because we’ve known about this since last year.”
“I’ve got issues with the federation but I’ve to look at it from a player’s standpoint. It wouldn’t be fair not to go and have one of the Nigerian assistants take them who would have no real idea how to help them. I’ve been working with them for the last two years.” He provided an insight to a bizarre situation he found himself last year.
The coach then narrated how the players went on a strike action at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
“After the semi-final defeat to Morrocco at last year’s African Cup of Nations, the players hadn’t been paid so they boycotted training before the playoff against Zambia,” he said.
“My backup goalkeeper (Tochukwu Oluehi) spoke to the federation about not getting paid and they didn’t like how she spoke so they dismissed her from the national team. They eventually let her back only if she wrote an apology letter.
“They wanted me to pick a goalkeeper from Nigeria for the World Cup that I have never seen and has never been in one of our camps.
“I said ‘no, that my contract says I pick my teams’ so they retaliated and said that I can’t take my assistant coach Lauren.
“She’s devastated. It would feel like I’d be betraying her by travelling. They’ve put us in a really bad spot.” And there’s no sign of a resolution.
The team will be hosted on a dinner Saturday evening by the Nigeria Football Federation officials, and some government m dignatories before travelling for a 15-day camping in Australia.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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