By Harry Awurumibe, Head, Abuja Bureau
| Women’s football stakeholders have given a pass mark to the Super Falcons 23-woman list for the 8th FIFA Women’s World cup final in France. Head Coach, Thomas Dennerby yesterday picked 23 players for the global football fiesta this summer with as many as 7 players from the domestic women’s football league listed in the Nigeria’s World Cup squad. Selected for the competition in France are three goalkeepers- Chiamaka Nnadozie, Alaba Jonathan and Tochukwu Oluehi. Others are Evelyn Nwabuoku, Amarachi Okoronkwo, Chidinma Okeke and Alice Ogebe. This rather rare gesture from a foreign coach to give home- based many slots in the World Cup team has been commend by women’s football stakeholders including the Asst. Coach of Edo Queens FC of Benin, Otasowie Ogbonmwan who described the list as balanced. “I will not complain of the Falcons list. The coach tried by selecting many of our leaque players”, the former Falcons player said. Also speaking on the list, former Falconets and Super Falcons Asst. Coach to Beijing Olympics, Rolandson Odeh said the inclusion of 7 local players is a step in the right direction. According to him, “the potentials of our local leaque players are not in doubt and I believe if they are given equal measure of opportunity and exposure they might even do better than some foreign-based players”. But Chief Charlie Azubuike, sponsor of Eziama Queens FC of Isiala Mbano in Imo state which has produced national team players like Falconets star, Joy Duru thinks that more home-based players should have made the cut. “I believe some of these players in the local league will displace some of the overseas-based players on a good day”, he argued. ReplyForward |
