AWC: Falcons’ Performance Disappoints Nigerians

Following the Super Falcons poor performance at the just concluded African Women Football Championship in Equatorial Guinea, many Nigerians have expressed disappointment with the club’s inability to go all the way in the championship.

The Assistant Coach of Rivers Angels FC of Port Harcourt, Whyte Ogbondah said it was sad and unfortunate that the fortunes of female football is going down in the country. According to him, this year has been the worst season I have ever witnessed in the history of women football in Nigeria, the League is in shambles and nothing seems being done to remedy the situation.

“Nigeria’s female football is gradually collapsing. While other teams like Bayana Bayana are now rising from grass to glory. If some thing is not done soon and urgently too, as to improve the standard of the sport in Nigeria, we may suffer worse setback in the future,” he said.

Also speaking, the Director of the Real Club Deportivo (RCD) Academy Espanyol in Port Harcourt,  Stanley Wariso, said the Federal Government and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) should stop making promises to a particular player during competitions.

“It brings about division in the team which affects team spirit amongst the players, this could spell doom for a team. Any promise of largesse for players should wait till competition is over.”

“Corporate bodies, government and well-meaning individuals should endeavour to sponsor female football in the country. Football tournaments have to be organised at the grassroots level in order to do better in the future, also more attention should be given to female football, in order to improve on our weak areas.”

Wariso noted that the Falcons were complacent in the semi final match against South Africa, believing that they could beat them and become vulnerable to the opponents.

He said that should more football competitions be organised at the grassroots level, more talents would be discovered to replace the old legs in national team.

Earlier, coach of the Rivers State Football team, Tony Chukwu, was philosophical in his assessment. According to him, every team in a competition is entitled to progression.

“Any team that is well prepared can emerge champions,” he said and advised the Falcons to work harder by starting now to prepare for the next tournament in order to achieve the desired result.