- By Oluwashina Okeleji
- Sports activities author, Nigeria
Picture supply, Getty Pictures
Randy Waldrum was appointed Nigeria boss in October 2020 and the Tremendous Falcons completed fourth on the Ladies's Africa Cup of Nations final yr
A month after the expiry of his contract with the Nigerian Soccer Federation (NFF), uncertainty stays over the place of Randy Waldrum, the previous coach of the Nigerian nationwide ladies's crew.
The 67-year-old led the Tremendous Falcons to the final 16 on the Ladies's World Cup in August, however the American has been lacking from motion since their elimination by England in Brisbane.
In his place, Justin Madugu has taken cost of the qualifiers for subsequent yr's Olympic Video games and the 2024 Ladies's Africa Cup of Nations.
The messages popping out of the NFF are decidedly blended, with successive communiqués each confirming and denouncing his place as Nigeria coach.
A specific level of rivalry was the sense of divided loyalty as Waldrum mixed the Nigeria job together with his work for the College of Pittsburgh, whose ladies's crew he additionally managed throughout his time with the West Africans.
“The coach gave the impression to be prioritizing his different commitments in america,” a high NFF official, who requested to not be named, informed BBC Sport Africa.
“Governing a rustic like Nigeria shouldn’t be accomplished on a part-time foundation.”
Waldrum was anticipated to function on the eve of the Olympic double-header in opposition to Ethiopia late final month, however it was Madugu who guided Nigeria to a 5-1 mixture victory over the East Africans.
He adopted that up with a 5-0 win in opposition to Cape Verde within the first leg of their Ladies's Nations Cup second spherical qualifier in Abuja on Thursday.
Apart from reiterating his place, little has been heard from Waldrum within the months following the World Cup, a proven fact that contributes to one of many largest considerations inside the NFF.
In September, the NFF acknowledged that it could “assure meritocracy within the formation of recent teaching groups” for the varied ladies's groups inside the shortest doable time.
An absence of accessible assets can be a background drawback for the NFF, with a member of its government committee saying the group is eager to terminate the contract of males's nationwide coach Jose Peseiro – even after the Portuguese accepted a pay lower in September.
“There could also be (adjustments) because of the monetary place of the federation,” the NFF official added.
“The board has not but mentioned the opportunity of extending Waldrum's time period. Nothing has been definitively determined but.”
Waldrum's reluctance to look to the Nigeria Ladies's Soccer League (NWFL) for expertise has additionally prompted some consternation amongst pundits and followers.
With the native league stricken by issues surrounding administration and logistics, nationwide groups are taking part in a key function within the promotion and growth of home gamers.
The opposite aspect of the argument would level to the truth that Waldrum has needed to work beneath plenty of restrictions throughout his employment with the NFF, most notably late and irregular wage funds.
He additionally famously received right into a public confrontation together with his employers after questioning the distribution of funds he obtained from FIFA's world governing physique, in addition to claiming breach of contract and alleging a scarcity of help.
The protection of the NFF as outlined by the Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire, was basically a private assault and there’s clearly no love misplaced between the events concerned.
Nevertheless, Waldrum exceeded expectations on the Ladies's World Cup, main Nigeria via an undefeated season, going three clear sheets and solely coming off a penalty shoot-out in opposition to eventual runners-up England.
This has received him credibility and help from some quarters, with former NFF president Amaju Pinnick main the foyer to retain the American and be allowed to construct on the relative success in Australia.
Waldrum additionally enjoys some approval inside the Tremendous Falcons crew, though not unanimously.
His willingness to publicly battle their trigger, in addition to his participant administration, has sidelined a few of them.
“He's not only a coach; he's a father, he's an advisor, he's a mentor, he's only a man with braveness and a whole lot of good qualities,” midfielder Deborah Abiodun informed Nigerian newspaper Punch.
“He has made a constructive contribution to my life.”
Nevertheless, there have been arguments with gamers akin to striker Ngozi Okobi, who has performed for the nationwide crew for greater than a decade however was dropped from the World Cup squad.
With the continued lack of consensus inside the management of Nigerian soccer, it stays to be seen what the longer term holds for Waldrum.
Madugu. who has been a part of the backroom employees since 2009, will oversee the second leg of the Ladies's Nations Cup qualifier in opposition to Cape Verde on Tuesday, with the Olympic qualifiers in opposition to Cameroon (February 19 and 28) looming additional afield.
