Super Falcons head coach, Randy Waldrum has called up 23 players for next month’s Revelation Cup Tournament to be staged in Leon, Mexico City, among them Captain Onome Ebi, Spain-based forward Asisat Oshoala and long-time number one goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie.
Hosts Mexico, Nigeria, Costa Rica and Colombia are the participating teams at the tournament in the State of Guanajuato, with matches between 15th – 21st February, and with the objective of preparing the contestants for the 9th FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand
Nigeria will play their first game of the tournament against hosts Mexico starting at 10pm on Wednesday, February 15.
On Saturday, 18th February, the Falcons will be up against Colombia at 7pm.
Costa Rica will be Nigeria’s last opponents, both teams locking horns as from 11pm on Tuesday. 21st February
THE FULL SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC, France); Yewande Balogun (AS Saint-Etienne, France)
Defenders: Onome Ebi (Levante Las Planas (Spain); Osinachi Ohale (Deportivo Alaves, Spain); Ashleigh Plumptre (Leicester City, England); Glory Ogbonna (ALG Spor, Turkey); Rofiat Imuran (Stade de Reims, France); Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash, USA); Oluwatosin Demehin (Stade de Reims, France); Akudo Ogbonna (Rivers Angels)
Midfielders: Halimatu Ayinde (FC Rosengard, Sweden); Christy Ucheibe (SL Benfica, Portugal); Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene (Eskilstuna United, Sweden); Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico Madrid, Spain); Toni Payne (Sevilla FC, Spain); Jennifer Echegini (Florida State University, USA); Regina Otu (AS Saint-Etienne, France)
Forwards: Asisat Oshoala (Barcelona Femenin, Spain); Esther Okoronkwo (AS Saint-Etienne, France); Ifeoma Onumonu (NY/NJ Gotham FC, USA); Chinwendu Ihezuo (Rayadas Monterrey, Mexico); Francisca Ordega (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Uchenna Kanu (Tigres Femenil, Mexico)
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_Key Observations On The List Above_
It is good to see the inclusion of the following players in the list:
– Esther Okoronkwo: a personal favorite of mine; a very versatile striker cum attacking midfielder whose presence was sorely missed in the Afcon.
– Yewande Balogun: a goalkeeper itching to make her long awaited meaningful debut for the Super Falcons. Although accomplished in US women’s college football, the 33 year old gloveswoman remains untested in Super Falcons colours.
– Jennifer Echegini: the nimble feet attacking midfielder, who should learn to release the ball early, is pushing for a place in Nigeria’s world cup squad. To me, her chances her slim with a full house Super Falcons squad. But I pray she makes the final cut as she has so much guile and trickery on her day.
The following evergreen, everpresent players will need to bring all their years of experience to bear for Nigeria in the coming months:
– Onome Ebi
– Osinachi Ohale
– Halimat Ayinde
– Ngozi Okobi
– and Feansisca Ordega.
Asisat Oshoala, on her part, is long overdue to produce a compelling performance for the Super Falcons. In club football she remains hotter than the waters of Kalamazu. But her effectiveness for the Nigeria has waned in recent times (in part due to injuries).
All in all it looks like a balanced squad that can support different tactical formations. Based on the 4-3-3 arrangement that Waldrum predominantly used in the Afcon, I will go with the following players:
Goalkeeper:
Chiamaka Nnadozie
Fullbacks:
Michelle Alozie
Glory Ogbonna
Centre backs:
Ashleigh Plumptre
Osinachi Ohale
Defensive midfield
Christie Ucheibe
Attacking midfield:
Toni Payne
Rasheedat Ajibade
Wingers:
Asisat Oshoala
Uchenna Kanu
Centre forward:
Ifeoma Onumonu
That’s all she wrote 🙂
Not the one to criticize a coach’s selection but dis guy yab no be small. I hope this isn’t the list from which he will make his final selection. This team is still too old to compete with younger more athletic women from all over the world. Why invite Ebi and Ohale when we have plumptre and Demehin. We only need 1 and i would pick Ohale ahead of Ebi cos atleast she still has speed. Ebi spot in my view is wasted, an additional midfielder in Esther Onyenedize who is good on d ball with excellent left foot and capable of whipping set pieces. Why invite Ayinde and Okobi (these lafies are in dia mid 30s) whereas u neglect a Debora Abiodun and Flourish Sabastine. Moreover we only need either an ayinde or okobi defin8tely not both. Ibwould g9 with an Ayinde. Okobi tho she did well at d afcon but a younger sabastine will add pace and trickery to d team. Also what is d inclusion of Ordega for, when we have a nicole payne, Esther Ajakaye or Amina Bello that can bring dynamism and constant running for 90 mins. I know people will say some of the members i mentioned lack experience which is a fair argument but how are dis lasies supposed to garner dis so called experience without being tried. Moreover what has the experiences of dis elder states women brought us? The answer is zero. Give dis younger more athletic ladies a chance and see the wonders nigerians will see.
Proudly 9Ja,my prayer is that Waldrum retains no more than 5 slots for these evergreen Falcons. They have served Nigeria with distinction but truth, there is always the right time to bow out with grace and respect.
As much as very many of us Super Eagles fans would like the team to be populated by ‘Fresh Blood’ it is foolhardy – in my humble opinion – to totally drain your team of experienced legs. But, it is the number of these legs and how they are utilised that will show how savvy and intelligent Randy is.
I am not a coach, so what I am about to say here should be taken with a grain of salt. It seems suicidal to me to start “40” year old Ebi and “31” year old Ohale against young, sharper Irish, Canadian and Australian strikers in the world cup. But, having one of them partner a younger-still-mature leg like Plumptre might make sense. But for me, a vastly travelled 25 year old Plumptre and a “20” year old Demehin might seem supreme. Even “24” year old Ogbonna is a more acceptable option.
Let’s be grateful that Oparanozie continues to be unavailable. She is an excellent centre forward that is highly respected but her absence helps create space for others. Rita Chikwelu is another fabulous midfielder who will do well to keep away from the national team so that space can be created for all the vibrant Under-20 prospects including those like Nicole Payne.
I cannot complain about how Ordega was used sparingly in last year’s Afcon. In truth, that is how these evergreen ladies be used. I mean, in these days of pressing-football, do you honestly believe that Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene and Halimat Ayinde will be able to keep up with midfielders from England, Spain, Germany or even Portugal? Imagine now adding Chikwelu into the mix, one should just forget watching Nigeria at the World Cup.
I’m disappointed wit the d list ,, onome and some names are not worthy of d call ,, call young players and blend Dem into d team ,,, onyenezide dat fantastic player wasn’t invited even abiodun dat shown like modric was not included ,,, well we’ll wait and see
This list is vetoed by Nigeria’s technical committee remember? So if any name appears there it would have been discussed and agreed on by the collective bunch.
My only wish is if Nigeria can bring in Vicky Lopez, the teenage sensation teammate of the goal merchant Asisat Oshoala. That would have helped a great deal and provided several options. Vicky looks unto Oshoala at Barca women and rumour has it that she likes Nigeria.
Vicky Lopez has no business in this team. You’re talking of Spanish No1 talent who is highly regarded and been nurtured to take over from the likes of Esther Gonzalez in the national team. Abeg lower your expectations let’s pray for NFF to hire a qualified coach for the falcons.
As an experienced unbiased sports enthusiast and future coach, players not on this list that deserve a chance to fight for a world cup spot probably after the Mexican tourney (in my opinion) include:
1. Faith Omilana
2. Aminat Bello
3. Opeyemi Ajakaye
4. Nicole Payne
5. Desire Oparanozie
6. Deborah Abiodun
7. Esther Onyenezide
8. Flourish Sabastine
9. Gift Monday
10. Tochukwu Oluehi
11. Glory Edet
12. Mary-Ann Ezenagu
13. Etim Edidiong
14. Ogoma Joseph
15. Mercy Itimi
Exactly Deo, i even 4got Gift Monday. This invitational tournament would have been an ideal scenario to blend these young girls and really see what they can do. Abiodun playwd the friendly against japan last year and she held her own. Imagine a midfield of Ucheibe-Onyenedize-Ayinde handling our midfield with a frontline of Kanu-Oshoala-Ajibade. We won’t be lacking in pace and goals. We have an excellent deliverer of d ball and vision in Onyenedize and ball winners in Ucheibe and Ayinde. After 60 mins throw in Abiodun in there for Ayinde and the team won’t miss a beat. Bring on sabasstine to replace Kanu and Gift for Oshoala is she isn’t firing. Not saying this team will win d worldcup but dem go disturb allah, not these cl9se to menopause women Randy is parading here. I see dis as a wasted opportunity, i hope am wrong tho
yeah, I thought of her being there too, but on the other hand Gift Monday is gradually breaking into the first team of her club, so calling her now may give the wrong signal. Let her gain more ground definitely, she will be part of the team if she can prove herself.
There is no substitute for experience know this and know peace but wait o from what I see i hope the Nff will arrange more friendlies for this team cos the talent pool just got wider otherwise if experienced ones are replaced with the youthful ones the outcome will be akin to a herd without the guidance of the shepherd and if youth is substituted with experience then like Deo said “we should forget watching The SF at this world cup”, it’ll be an equivalent of taking a 1968 car model to a 2023 speed race,so oga Randy it’s time to show us your mettle as a coach,let’s see what you’re made of no excuses this time around.