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NFF blames Super Falcons neglect on Super Eagles World Cup qualifiers

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Falcons to face Gambia in 2018 AWCON qualifiers

Following criticisms from Desire Oparanozie over neglect of the Super Falcons, NFF President, Amaju Pinnick, has apologised, stating that the federation had had its focus on the men’s team.

Oparanozie, who described efforts of the football house with regards to the women’s team as pathetic, says the team has not done anything to show they want to retain their position as African champions.

“There have been no matches there hasn’t been any form of regrouping, no games played – nothing at all,” she told BBC Sports.

The women’s team are yet to play or train since lifting the 2016 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon last year, and the next Nations Cup and the World Cup are at hand.

But Pinnick, in response to Oparanozie’s complaints, made it plain that NFF had concentrated all its efforts in making sure the Super Eagles secured ticket to the 2018 World Cup, but are now ready to switch their focus after Gernort Rohr’s men have been successful.

“I apologise to them (Super Falcons) publicly – we have been trying to intensify our efforts in rebuilding the Super Eagles [Nigeria’s men’s team] which we have done,” the NFF boss said.

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“Now we have secured the services of a foreign coach from America [Randy Waldrum] who is going to resume next week.

“We have lined up a couple of matches for them and I have apologised to them because the truth is we wanted to concentrate on the [World Cup] qualifiers [for the men] which was quite intense.”

The Super Falcons defeated host nation Cameroon in the final of 2016 AWCON to win their eighth title last December.

It can be recalled that after lifting the title, the women team returned to the country and started a sit-in-protest over NFF’s failure to pay them their entitlements for their success.

Alas the African champions have not began preparations ahead of the qualifiers for next year’s edition in Ghana, which will also decide the continent’s teams for the 2019 Women’s World Cup.

 

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