Sunnyson8:


All this time that she has been going on and off it’s because of the injury, for a month now they have been managing her minutes.

Sunnyson8:
EXCLUSIVE: Scandal rocks Super Falcons final Olympics squad

The Super Falcons final squad for the Paris 2024 Olympics will be announced any time from now, but it will include two players imposed on coach Randy Waldrum.

Sources inside the team told SCORENigeria that in the first instance the Texan coach could not have a list of four alternate players besides a final 18-person squad because the NFF claimed they do not have the additional funds to take care of these players.

However, four alternate players were subsequently forwarded to the organisers unknown to the coach.

Among these players are two veteran players who have not been involved with the team in recent times because the coach said he has no use for them.


Interestingly, both players were also forced on the coach for last year’s World Cup.


This latest selection scandal is expected to bring Waldrum in another face-off with the NFF.

It would be recalled that the American coach and his employers rowed openly in the build-up to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

All appeared to be forgotten and forgiven when against most expectations, Waldrum guided the Super Falcons past a “Group of Death” that housed hosts Australia and Olympic Gold medalist Canada.

The Super Falcons are again drawn in a difficult-looking first round group at the Paris Olympics after they were pitched against world champions Spain, former world champions Japan and South American champions Brazil.

Nine-time African champions open their Paris Olympics campaign on July 25 against Brazil in Bordeaux.

ekehopp2:


I know say Ordega go dey this imposed list. That Boss NFF woman na her God mother. Nigeria we hail thee 😁😁😁

Olympics: Controversy as officials ‘force’ Ordega on Falcons coach

30th June 2024
By Tana Aiyejina

There’s a potential cold war brewing in the Super Falcons following allegations that two top officials of the Nigeria Football Federation were working to impose veteran forward Francisca Ordega on coach Randy Waldrum ahead of the women’s football event of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, SUNDAY PUNCH reports.

The 12-nation women’s football event in Paris gets underway July 25 with several of the teams already releasing their final 28-player squads and alternate players.

CSKA Moscow forward Ordega, is being forced on the American gaffer because of her close ties to the NFF officials, our correspondent learnt.

According to our sources, Ordega, 30, has not featured for the Falcons since she posted a below par performance at last year’s Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.


A federation official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, said several of the young players in the team, who fear they could be sacrificed for the ageing player, are aggrieved.

“A certain madam from the competitions department and another top official on the technical department are trying to impose Ordega on the list for the Olympics. A section of the players are not happy because this same player was imposed on the team at last year’s Women’s World Cup.

“They’ve been breathing down Waldrum’s neck trying to force the man to include Ordega,” our source said.

“Two officials, a male and female, are insisting that she be named in the squad for the trip to Paris.”

Tournament organisers allow for an additional four alternate players to the stipulated 18-woman squad, and why the likes of Australia (22 players), Japan (21 players), USA (21 players) have taken advantage of the rule by inviting more players to their squads, it was learnt that Waldrum was directed by top officials of the federation not to add four alternate players to his squad.

The officials, according to our sources, claimed the federation was cash strapped and couldn’t accommodate more players for the trip to Paris.

However, in a bid to ensure that the player makes the team, officials made a U-Turn and allegedly sent an alternate list to the organisers, which included Ordega’s name on the list, without Waldrum’s knowledge.

“They did four alternate players because they want to include Ordega in the team, after initially insisting that the coach shouldn’t add more players due to lack of funds.

“Now, they want to see how they’ll force Waldrum to drop a player from the original 18 players to accommodate her,” our source added.

It was learnt that Waldrum insisted on having a home-based goalkeeper in the alternate list, in case the two keeper’s in the 18-woman list had issues, but Morufat Ademola, the Rivers Angels keeper, Waldrum’s preferred choice, was eventually dropped.

The federation’s General Secretary Dr Mohammed Sanusi said he couldn’t speak on the matter during a telephone chat with our correspondent on Saturday.

“I’m not a coach,so I can’t speak on that,” he said.

The Falcons are drawn in a difficult Group C that also has world champions Spain, former world champions Japan and South American champions Brazil at the Paris Games.They open their campaign July 25 against Brazil in Bordeaux.

The Falcons are not new to controversies before, during and after major tournaments.

The players threatened to boycott the last tournament over unpaid wages.

Twenty years ago, the record African champions refused to travel back home after winning the 2004 WAFCON in South Africa, insisting they were paid their bonuses before boarding their flight.

In 2016, after returning from Cameroon with an eighth WAFCON trophy, the players also staged a sit-in protest at their Abuja hotel to press home their claims for each player to be paid $16,500 after their triumph.

BascoVanVeli:


We all know Randy has free hand in picking his team. U guys just want to kick the can down the road.

The question has always been what makes you feel u know more than Randy Waldrum in this situation? He feels Onome Ebi has something to bring to the table, not the NFF or the Nigerian government.

U guys are causing unnecessary tension around our national team and it is getting out of hand. Even after the woman gets dropped we are still antagonising her, why?

lovewins:


BascoVanVeli and naptu2

I still remember this argument when I said players were being forced on Randy and Basco especially insisted that wasn't the case. Now 2 news report in 24 hours has vindicated me. There's now reportage that this happened at the last world cup too. Hope you at least acknowledge it this time.

naptu2:


https://punchng.com/olympics-controversy-as-officials-force-ordega-on-falcons-coach/

naptu2:


I never argued anything about players being forced on the coach. My argument was that if you feel that any player should not be in the team, then you should hold the coach, the FA and the authorities responsible for it. Every player has the right to dream and want to be in a team, but it us up to the aithorities to make the decision, not the player.

That is and has always been the case and is still the case.

lovewins:


naptu2, do you now understand my reason why I said we need to shame players like this? You remember when we had that conversation and I said what obtains in the west doesn't necessarily apply here. Players like Ordega use their influence to get themselves forcefully into the team at the expense of younger ones. You were arguing that it was the responsibility of the coach to not invite them and I argued it was beyond him. Didn't have conclusive evidence at the time, but now with this reporting it put things in clearer perspective.

Players like Ordega should be shamed (even though they are shameless). She forcefully got herself into the World cup team and is doing exactly the same now. You don't treat people like that with kids glove, you shame them.

naptu2:


I repeat, IT IS NOT ABOUT THE PLAYER A player cannot pick him or herself into the team. It is about the officials. The argument then was about Onome Ebi. We all saw that Onome still wanted to be in the team, but she was no longer selected, why? Because the officials did not select her.

Every player can dream, hope, pressure, etc. That's normal, but it is not their duty to select the team. If you read the article I posted, you will see that they did not put the blame on Ordega, but on the madam that included her. Why? Because it is the fault of that madam.

I repeat, shaming the player does nothing. Did it stop Onome Ebi from wanting to be in the team? No. But the officials stopped her. Why? Because it is the officials that are responsible for selecting the team, not the players

lovewins:


Your argument is still flawed. It is like saying someone KNOWINGLY enjoying the proceed of corruption isn't liable in the court of law. Let's even remotely assume that Ordega isn't an active participant in this (which obviously isn't the case), don't players like this have a responsibility to refuse invitations they know came by shady means? Will the official in question go to great lengths to include Ordega without her consent? I don't disagree with holding officials accountable, but you seem to be totally absolving the players in question which is the problem for me.

Players are free to dream, but no sane person goes where they aren't wanted, except those who cheated others to get there.

naptu2:



1) You shaming the players achieves nothing. If you ask any footballer to choose between not being shamed and going to a global tournament, theu will take the shame every single day, so your shame will not stop any player from wanting to be in the team. Perfect example is Onome Ebi.

2) My dad was a sports administrator decades ago. I remember Green Eagles players coming to our house, but it's not about them coming to our house it's about what my dad would decide to do. I repeat, it is up to the officials.

3) It's not only in Nigeria, all over the world players will do anything to be in the team. In 1990 and 1994 it was the President of Cameroon that got Roger Milla into the team. I was angry in 1994. Cameroon had better and younger players. Jean Claude Pagal slapped the coach on the training ground when he told him that he was not going to make the team (because the President of Cameroon wanted the older and famous players). Remember Romario wanting to be in the 2002 squad and Baggio also?

It is up to the officials. No player can pick his or herself. Even your claim of bribery is just a claim, no concrete proof. Players will put pressure on officials and coaches to be picked. Coaches can do like Thomas Dennerby and quit, officials can go to their superiors and the media to complain. There are manu things that they can do, but no player picks the team. The one who picks the team is the one who decides, who is at fault and who is to blame. He is the one that you can influence through political pressure and he is the one that has the most to lose

naptu2:
No player believes that he or she is not good enough. I can see that the player is not good enough, you can see that the player is not good enough, but the player will believe that he or she is good enough.

No player lobbies to go to the World Cup or Olympics to go and disgrace himself or herself. The player believes that he or she is good enough to give the best.

It is up to coaches and officials to see that the player is not good enough and to say no.

lovewins:


Did I at any time mention bribery? I don't believe I did, but just in case I did let me correct that. I believe I used the word influence. I can't prove bribery even though I'm not necessarily ruling it out.

Shaming players doesn't necessarily translate in players being left out, but it will.be on record they were to some extent held accountable. When we recall events like this historically it will be on record how certain people got their way. Players are free to be shameless but fans shouldn't also be told not to shame which is the point.

lovewins:


This is where you are wrong. Players at some point come to that realization. At the beginning of their career every player thinks they are the best in the world. However few years into it every player can tell you at what level they play even if they publicly feign ignorance.

And yes players can lobby to go to events as bench players just for the monetary incentive attached. This is Africa where there is extreme poverty and people do literally anything for money. How is this inconceivable to you?

naptu2:


I am not wrong at all. In fact, what I said is the norm. If a player believes that he or she is no longer good, then they'll retire.

But if a player is in the Russian league and scoring goals and getting acclaim there, then they'll believe that they are the best in the world. Perceptions differ and are not always accurate.

That's why people always argue about awards, because people have different perceptions and each person believes that their own perception is correct and others are wrong. You see a player arguing that they should have won an award and you wonder how, but they truly believe it.

Players that have reached national team level, played in clubs all over the world, etc lobby to go to global events for the glory. They won't if they are not good enough because the embarrasment would affect not just their ego, but their future prospects. Only upcomers and unknowns lobby for the money and that's not what we are talking about here (besides, experienced players know that they often get owed and that there is stress attached to national team football).

naptu2:


1) That also depends on what you mean by "shaming". Obviously people have freedom of speech and nobody can take that away, but there are limits to freedom of speech.

2) History will easily forget the shaming. It happens all the time. Jay Jay Okocha, Nwankwo Kanu, etc. there are many players that Nigerians tried to shame, but nobody remembers that any more.

lovewins:


By shaming I mean calling them out for being selfish. It doesn't extend to verbal attacks outside the borderline of decency. We've always condemned that.

lovewins:


Ask an average premier league player who they think is the best player in the world and 99% of them won't mention themselves. Delusions like this only happens at the beginning of a player's career. As they grow they also grow out of it. Only very elite players have the privilege of arguing and everyone in the context of our discourse isn't that. Conversations about who the best player in the world is doesn't extend to Joe Aribo for instance and he also isn't deluded to think that.

Also, this is women's football where an average player doesn't earn enough. They'll obviously do anything to scrap. This is even more valid considering that the player in question is nearing retirement. Also, the NFF doesn't typically owe for tournaments because they either get money from the organisers or they get money from the FG. Players re usually owed allowances from qualifiers and at best WAFCON. They almost always get paid for world events.

naptu2:


But that was exactly what was happening to Onome Ebi and why people spoke out about it.

lovewins:


Much of what Onome received was criticism. Yes some personal attack here and there but the vast majority of the commentary was criticisms.

lovewins:


BascoVanVeli and naptu2

I still remember this argument when I said players were being forced on Randy and Basco especially insisted that wasn't the case. Now 2 news report in 24 hours has vindicated me. There's now reportage that this happened at the last world cup too. Hope you at least acknowledge it this time.

BascoVanVeli:


Anybody can write a report, next.

naptu2:


I didn't want to go into that, but that's the other issue. I remember that there were reports before the World Cup that the players were going on strike, but the reports turned out to be false.

naptu2:


https://punchng.com/olympics-controversy-as-officials-force-ordega-on-falcons-coach/

BascoVanVeli:


Anybody can write a report, next.

yinkeys:

Ordega lost her pace
We saw her at the World Cup last year
We have quicker/better wingers now
Even Gift Monday May not make that shortlist

naptu2:


I didn't want to go into that, but that's the other issue. I remember that there were reports before the World Cup that the players were going on strike, but the reports turned out to be false.

Deltamani:


Ordega wasn’t inform during the World Cup and it showed in her game, but right now she’s inform and still very much quicker than some of them we have around now…

I’m not here to defend her ooo
But clearing the fact on what you wrote..
The thing is even the likes of Iffy Onumonu, Nicole Payne and Monday Gift might end up among the Reserves but Forcing a player on the Coach just because you’re a top official in the NFF is very wrong..

Let’s allow Randy do his job, Apart from not picking the Home based players, Randy have been fair with his selections…

Anyway I hope the news on ground right now is false cause I haven’t gotten any response from the Person I’m trying to confirm from…