WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Like Waldrum in Nigeria’s NFF, Riise in Norway’s NFF becomes the latest of Women’s World Cup coaching casualties
It is barely two weeks since the 2023 Women’s World Cup ended, some of the coaches that led teams have been thrown into the labour markets.
In Nigeria, Randy Waldrum’s contract was not renewed, despite the Super Falcons exceeding wildest imagination and almost got into the quarter-finals.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) did not renew his contract. Another NFF, this time, the Norges Fotballforbund Forside (Norway Football Federation in English) announced parting ways with Coach Hege Riise making her the latest manager to lose job following the recent Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Brazil parted ways with Swede Pia Sundhage earlier this week, while the contract of Ireland coach Vera Pauw was not renewed, despite her leading the country to the finals of their first major women’s tournament.
Even cup-winning coach, Jorge Vilda is not spared the axe. Spain’s football federation (RFEF) is preparing to sack him.
Since the end of the tournament, 10 of the 32 nations have parted ways with their coach, and players from Spain, who won the World Cup for the first time, have said they will not play for coach Jorge Vilda again, amid the fallout from a kiss scandal involving his boss, federation chief Luis Rubiales.
Norway suffered a shock 1-0 loss to co-hosts New Zealand in their opening game and then Riise benched star winger Caroline Graham Hansen for their second group match, a goalless draw with Switzerland.
Graham Hansen’s angry comments after that game grabbed the headlines in Norway and though she was reinstated for the final group game against the Philippines, which they won, they were then outclassed in a defeat to Japan in the last 16.
The subsequent evaluation of Norway’s performance has seen Riise – arguably the country’s greatest female player and a World Cup winner in 1995 – move into a new role in the NFF promoting the women’s game.
“Through the evaluation work and in conversations with Hege Riise, we have seen that we have differing views on the role of the national team coach for this team,” NFF president Lise Klaveness – herself a former international – said in a statement.
Once a superpower in the women’s game, Norway now face the prospect of finding a new coach in an ultra-competitive market, and the new Nations League is looming at the end of September.
“The federation board is working to put in place a temporary solution for the autumn games in the Nations League. The solution will be presented as soon as it is ready,” the NFF said in a statement.
Head Coach Bankole Olowookere has listed Captain Taiwo Afolabi and forwards Harmony Chidi and Peace Effiong in his 21-woman Flamingos’ roster for this year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals in the Dominican Republic.
The clinical Chidi scored 13 of the team’s record-setting 25 goals in the qualifying series, as the bronze medallists from the last edition of the championship in India barnstormed their way past Central African Republic, Burkina Faso and Liberia in the continental campaign.
Petite midfielder Afolabi will lead the midfield, alongside Faridat Abdulwahab, Shakirat Moshood and Ayomide Rotimi, while first-choice goalkeeper Christiana Uzoma will have Sylvia Echefu and Elizabeth Boniface pushing her to her best all the time.
Taiwo Adegoke leads six other defenders, with Harmony Chidi leading six other forwards including Peace Effiong.
Nigeria will compete in Group A of the 16-nation finals alongside host nation Dominican Republic, Ecuador and New Zealand.
The delegation of Flamingos will depart the shores of Nigeria aboard a Turkish Airlines flight on Tuesday, 1st October for a two-week training tour in Santo Domingo, capital city of the Dominican Republic, ahead of the commencement of the tournament.
FLAMINGOS FOR FIFA U17 WORLD CUP DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 2024
Goalkeepers: Christiana Uzoma (Edo Queens); Elizabeth Boniface (Sunshine Queens); Sylvia Echefu (Confluence Queens)
Defenders: Prisca Nwachukwu (Imo Strikers); Jumai Adebayo (Naija Ratels); Taiwo Adegoke (Remo Stars Ladies); Rokibat Azeez (New Generation Academy); Hannah Ibrahim (Remo Stars Ladies); Vivian Ekezie (Heartland Queens); Ololade Isiaka (Abia Angels)
Midfielders: Taiwo Afolabi (Delta Queens); Faridat Abdulwahab (Nasarawa Amazons); Shakirat Moshood (Bayelsa Queens); Muinat Rotimi (Nakamura Football Academy)
Forwards: Oghenemairo Obruthe (City Sports); Harmony Chidi (Imo Strikers); Kudirat Arogundade (Green Foot); Ramotalahi Kareem (Honey Badgers); Aishat Animashaun (Naija Ratels); Peace Effiong (Rivers Angels); Blessing Ifitezue (Delta Queens)
FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup Dominican Republic 2024
Group A: Dominican Republic, Ecuador, New Zealand, Nigeria
Group B: Spain, USA, Korea Republic, Colombia
Group C: Korea DPR, Mexico, Kenya, England
Group D: Japan, Poland, Brazil, Zambia
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced the appointment of Justin Madugu as a temporary successor to America’s Randy Waldrum, who has stepped down.
The NFF announced that its decision was based on the recommendation of its Technical and Development Sub-Committee. Coach Justin Madugu will lead the remaining technical crew and take charge of the Senior Women National Team, Super Falcons, pending the appointment of a substantive Head Coach.
The Super Falcons’ next big engagement is the Women Africa Cup of Nations finals, taking place in Morocco in the summer of next year.
Japan survived a late scare against Nigeria to set up a re-match of the 2022 final with Spain in Sunday’s quarter-finals.
In rainy Bogota, Miyu Matsunaga’s free header just after the half hour was enough to send Japan to the break with a lead, as they have done at every match at Colombia 2024.
Maya Hijikata then doubled the advantage midway through the second term, tucking home a cross from substitute Chinari Sasai at the back post; that goal taking her joint-top of the adidas Golden Boot race with Brazil’s Vendito.
Olushola Shobowale did manage to pull one back for Nigeria in stoppage time but they couldn’t find a second as Japan hung on to close out the 2-1 win and set up that epic quarter-final clash with Spain. It is a re-match of the final match of the last edition in Costa Rica two years ago.
NFF Communication director unfolds 20 Points of a 20-hour ordeal on Libyan soil
African football legends, Adebayor and Aubameyang condemn Libya’s treatment of Super Eagles
BREAKING! CAF wades into the Libya-Nigeria Airport episode
Breaking! Uzoho suspended from Super Eagles’ next match with Sierra Leone
No longer Super League as CAF changes name of its new clubs competition
AIU releases its report on Tobi Amusan
-
Uncategorized1 week ago
Players boycott Libyan national team
-
AFCON4 days ago
Billiat’s penalty seals Zimbabwe’s 1-0 win over Namibia
-
AFCON1 week ago
Eguavoen unfolds Super Eagles’ squad for back-to-back duel with Libya
-
AFCON6 days ago
Facts & Figures as AFCON 2025 qualifiers enter Matchday 3
-
AFCON5 days ago
AFCON 2025 in Morocco: Everything you need to know
-
AFCON5 days ago
Libya’s captain, Faisal Al-Badri alleges poor treatment in Nigeria
-
Uncategorized6 days ago
CAF compels Kwasi Appiah to step down from Ghana FA
-
Uncategorized1 week ago
Fastest World Cup final scorer is dead!