***As NFF mulls retaining American Waldrum
By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
As Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is mulling to retain American-born Super Falcons’ Head Coach Randy Waldrum, just as the Untied States Soccer Federation and Team USA Head Coach Vlatko Andonovski have parted ways.
Prompt News can confirm that the move came in the wake of the Team USA elimination by Sweden in the Round of 16 at the ongoing 2023 Women’s World Cup, the team’s earliest exit from the competition in its history.
Team USA has won FIFA Women’s World Cup on four occasions in 1991, 1999, 2015 and 2019 respectively while the closest rivals Germany won it twice as Norway and Japan have won once each.
This is even as USA has only missed podium finish in the World Cup once and winning many Olympic Games medals with the last under Andonovski in a lackluster Bronze Medal finish at the Tokyo Olympics.
It was no surprise that there will be no way forward for Andonovski whose record with the USA was 51-5-9, his record in major tournaments was just 3-2-5 (games decided by penalties are officially recorded as draws).
According to sources close to USSF, the current Assistant Coach Twila Kilgore is likely to be appointed as Interim Coach for two friendly matches against South Africa on September 21 and September 24, though that deal has yet to be finalized.
However, Andonovski’s replacement is being kept under wraps until the end of the World Cup on Sunday, August 20, although it has been gathered that USSF will need to act quickly, with the 2024 Olympics set to take place in Paris, France in less than a year.
Among the high-profile coaches been considered by USSF is the current England Three Lionesses Head Coach Sarina Wiegman hence the delay in announcing the replacement of
Andonovski after the later was pressured to stepped down as Manager of the U.S. women’s national team, although his contract runs till December 2023.
Meanwhile, while USSF have sacked Andonovski for not progressing beyond Round of 16 stage in Down Under, NFF is very impressed with Waldrum’s Round of 16 exit and top officials of NFF have commenced the process of renewing his contract. READ ALSO:
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Prompt News can confirm that Waldrum’s new contract is almost certain as “a cabal” that has held Nigeria football hostage for a long period is hell bent on retaining the current Head Coach of University of Pittsburgh Panthers women’s soccer club.
