A former assistant coach of the Super Falcons, Coach Mansur Abdullahi has blamed the failure of the senior women’s national team to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic on what he described as nonchalant attitude of the present Nigeria Football Federation to female football.
The former Warri Wolves coach said it is worrisome that under the present leadership of the NFF, the Super Falcons have twice failed to qualify for the Olympics.
He questioned the decision of the NFF to draft in Coach Christopher Danjuma to lead the Super Falcons in the Olympics qualifiers when the current assistant coach of the team Justin Madugu would have done a better job.
“It is quite unfortunate that two times in a row the Super Falcons have failed to qualify for the Olympics under this present NFF. This means the present board of the NFF is not committed to the Super Eagles.
“The NFF should take full responsibility for Super Falcons failure to qualify for Tokyo 2020. I say this because when Thomas Dennerby left the team, the NFF should have allowed the assistant coach Justin Madugu to continue with the team.
“Maybe they think Madugu is not good enough. They should know that Madugu is one of the best female coaches in the country. He is well experienced and knowledgeable in Women football. He has been there since 1999.
“If allowed to handle the Super Falcons, Madugu would have qualified the team for the 2020 Olympics,” he said.
Abdullahi also said due to the indifference of the NFF to female football, there will soon be dearth of qualify players in the Super Falcons.
He reiterated that female football in Nigeria is on a sharp decline and if the NFF refuses to change its attitude, Nigeria’s continental dominance will soon be a thing of the past.
“NFF must change and show more commitment to female football. In one of their friendly matches before they travelled to Cote d’Ivoire, the Super Falcons appeared in six different jerseys.
“The ladies were poorly kitted. I am sure the NFF can’t give the same shabby treatment to the Super Eagles.
“How are they using FIFA grants for the development of female football?. Stakeholders in female football will have to ask questions,” he said.
