How the NFF's lack of attention is scuppering the Falcons' World Cup plans

9 years ago

How the NFF's lack of attention is scuppering the Falcons' World Cup plans

The relative silence at the Glass House over the much-awaited camping plans for the senior women national team has continued to evoke concerns among well-meaning Nigerians who feel much should have been put in place ahead of the 2015 Fifa Women's World Cup.

As various male national teams continue to enjoy the bulk of attention with continental engagements and friendly matches, the case of the Super Falcons is clearly unexplainable as other contending nations are already in camp.

Despite poor preparations, Edwin Okon’s ladies showed great character and dexterity against all odds to emerge African champions for the record seventh time in 2014, a feat which attracted no meaningful reward but failed Presidential and NFF promises four months on.

Women football stakeholders have expressed sadness to Waploadedl on the plight of the Nigerian ladies who are expected to do the country proud in Canada come June 5.

Sports journalist, Aderonke Ogunleye-Bello berated the lack of attention to the team by the NFF urging Amaju Pinnick-led board on early preparations for Super Falcons ahead of the World Cup.

She insists the women's team does not deserve the negligent treatment they have been afforded while their male counterparts get all the good things despite the incomparable successes at various levels that the women have had.

“The NFF should please organise as many friendly matches as possible for the women national team, these girls need to start playing competitive matches together early enough,” Ogunleye-Bello told WL.

“They need to bond together and work as a team, ensure a better location for the team to camp for acclimatisation, let us start early, the World Cup starts in less than five months.

“For example, in all of the Super Falcons' six World Cup appearances, they have made it to the quarter finals once.
“And even won the Africa Cup of Nations seven times [four times more than] the male team, so what we are saying here, they should be celebrated and applauded,” she said.
A sad Super Falcons player, who obliged to speak on anonymity, decried the unfair treatment meted out to her team by the NFF over the neglect of their preparatory programmes arrangements for the upcoming international competition.
"They have not treated us well at all. Look at the home-based [Super] Eagles, they don't have competition at hand but they are busy organising big friendly matches for them, while we that are supposed to play [at the World Cup] have not gotten any at all,” she said.
"For them to organise just a match or two, I don't think this will cost them a quarter of what they use for Super Eagles and they don't have any competition ahead.
"I don't think these home-based players will make the bulk of the Super Eagles even now that they don't have a coach, but they are playing matches. Are they trying to please Nigerians or what? And we that have a competition at hand, they have done nothing.