Nigeria's women's coach considers World Cup boycott over frustrations with federation

Randy Waldrum detailed difficulties he’s had with the Super Falcons’ hierarchy, revealing disputes over match fees triggered a strike from training by players during last year’s African Cup of Nations.

BOYCOTT? Head coach Randy Waldrum of Nigeria. Pic: Ed Zurga/Getty Images

Nigeria, one of Ireland’s Women’s World Cup Group B rivals, are in full-scale crisis mode after manager Randy Waldrum admitted he may not travel with the squad this weekend.

With the countdown to their opening game against Canada on July 21 well underway, Nigeria’s American coach Waldrum has been embroiled in a war of words with the federation for what he perceives as a lack of support.

The coach detailed difficulties he’s had with the Super Falcons’ hierarchy, revealing disputes over match fees triggered a strike from training by players during last year’s African Cup of Nations.

The Texan also claimed that he’s been presented with an ultimatum to bring either a back-up goalkeeper he’s never worked with or remove his assistant Lauren Gregg from the party travelling to Australia.

“At some point, it becomes about what’s right or wrong,” he 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?

"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.

"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.

"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. According to Nigerian media's Samuel Ahmadu, NFF, official Ademola Olajire has greeted fire with fire.

"The man wanted a two-week camp for only home-based professionals," Olajire said.

"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.

"The NFF felt it would make more sense for the 23 to go straight to Australia and camp for 15-16 days acclimatising to the weather and conditions. The NFF wanted him to groom a home-based goalkeeper.

“His outbursts are nothing but an afterthought. He's talking only three days before the team's departure for the World Cup and he should simply concentrate on the task at hand.” Nigeria, who have qualified for every World Cup, are due to meet Ireland in Brisbane on Monday, July 31 in the final group B match.

They open their first tournament campaign against co-hosts Australia at the Sydney Olympic Stadium on Thursday, July 20 – a fixture that all 83,000 tickets have been snapped up for. The top two nations in the pool progress to the last-16, where potentially European champions England await the group runner-up.