The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has appointed Randy Waldrum as the Super Falcons head coach, the organisation announced on Monday.
The announcement comes more than 12 months after Thomas Dennerby left the role to take up a U17 coaching job with India.
Before his latest appointment, Waldrum was the University of Pittsburgh women’s head coach, a job he took immediately after rejecting the Nigerian offer in December 2017.
The 64-year-old is no stranger to the women’s game on the global stage as he served as the US U23 coach and head coach of the Trinidad and Tobago team from 2014 to 2016.
He will be assisted by former Nigeria goalkeeper Ann Chiejine as the first assistant coach, Wemimo Olanrewaju as the second assistant and Auwar Bashir Makwalla will be goalkeeper trainer.
Commenting on the American’s appointment, Amaju Pinnick, the NFF president, voiced his belief the Pittsburgh-born coach has what it takes to excel with the senior national team.
“The predominance of the Super Falcons on the African continent has never been in doubt, with nine titles out of 11 editions of the Women AFCON competitions held so far,” he told the NFF website.
“We envision a new Super Falcons squad competing favourably for laurels at the global level, and I believe the new technical crew led by Mr. Waldrum can take us to that level.”
Waldrum has been tasked to lead the Super Falcons through two major campaigns, the African Women’s Cup of Nations which double as the qualifying event for the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
Meanwhile, the Super Eagles nest has begun to fill up ahead of this week’s international games against the Desert Foxes and Carthage Eagles
The Nigeria national team camp is beginning to bubble ahead of the international friendly matches against Algeria and Tunisia.
The games against the North African nations are expected to prepare Gernot Rohr’s team for November’s double-header Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Sierra Leone.
Everton star Alex Iwobi, Kenneth Omeruo, Moses Simon, Samuel Kalu, Chidera Ejuke, Leon Balogun and Mathew Yakubu are the early birds at Austria’s Hotel die Zeit an der Glan – where the three-time African champions are camped.
Others who teamed up with squad are newly Watford defender William Troost-Ekong, West Bromwich Albion’s Semi Ajayi, Leed United’s Ola Aina as well as Leceister City’s Kelechi Iheanacho.
Hours later, Dele Alampasu, Jamilu Collins, Frank Onyeka and Cyril Dessers stormed the camp with the rest of the invited Eagles expected by Monday night.
Also, former Germany youth international Kevin Akpoguma is at Nigeria’s hotel in order to familiarise with Rohr’s team ahead of his maiden call-up.
Born to a German mother and a Nigerian father, the 25-year-old Hoffenheim defender confirmed he has switched his allegiance to the Nigeria national team despite representing the Europeans in the U16, U17, U18, U19 and U20 teams – featuring in over 60 games.
Nigeria’s encounter against Algeria would be the fourth meeting between the two countries in three years.
A brace from Victor Moses and John Obi Mikel propelled Nigeria to a 3-1 triumph over the North Africans in the first leg of the third round of 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium.
Although the second leg ended 1-1 at the Stade Mohamed Hamlaoui, Constantine, FIFA awarded the game to Algeria, while the Nigeria Football Federation was fined for fielding Abdullahi Shehu, who was meant to serve a suspension following yellow-card offences against Swaziland and Zambia.
(Goal.com)
