Head coach of Nigeria’s WNT Randy Waldrum has raised eyebrows over his subpar performances since taking the reigns of the team in 2020.
Many have questioned Waldrum’s dedication to the job as a lot have pointed as his lack of enthusiasm when in charge of the Super Falcons.
He has also been criticized for overlooking home based talents as the American seems to prefer players plying their trades outside the shores of the Country.
Waldrum is believed to have little or no knowledge of the Nigerian female league and as preparation for the 2023 FIFA Women World cup draw near he has once again raised eyebrows with his 23 player squad selection.
41 year-old Onome Ebi, who was recently cut by Levante Las Planas, have been selected while only one local based player, in Rivers Angels’ Akudo Ogbonna picked by Waldrum.
The lack of Local based players have caused major steer as coaches from the local league have criticized the decision of the gaffer to largely overlook local based stars.
Nigeria will take part in the preparation based tournament hosted in Mexico that will also have Costa Rica, Colombia and Mexico lock horns as they gear up ahead of the FIFA Women’s World cup in Australia and New Zealand.
INVITED PLAYERS
Goalkeepers: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC); Yewande Balogun (AS Saint-Etienne)
Defenders: Onome Ebi (Unattached); Osinachi Ohale (Deportivo Alaves); Ashleigh Plumptre (Leicester City); Glory Ogbonna (ALG Spor); Rofiat Imuran (Stade de Reims); Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash); Oluwatosin Demehin (Stade de Reims); Akudo Ogbonna (Rivers Angels)
Midfielders: Halimatu Ayinde (FC Rosengard, Sweden); Christy Ucheibe (SL Benfica); Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene (unattached); Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico Madrid); Toni Payne (Sevilla FC); Jennifer Echegini (Florida State University); Regina Otu (AS Saint-Etienne)
Forwards: Asisat Oshoala (Barcelona Femenin); Esther Okoronkwo (AS Saint-Etienne); Ifeoma Onumonu (NY/NJ Gotham FC); Chinwendu Ihezuo (Rayadas Monterrey); Francisca Ordega (CSKA Moscow); Uchenna Kanu (Tigres Femenil).
