IWITNESSLIVE Sports Extra can provide an exclusive report stating that contract negotiations between the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and Randy Waldrum have been delayed due to the cancellation of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers involving Nigeria and Sao Tome and Principe.
Waldrum assumed the position as the head coach of the Super Falcons in 2020 when he signed a three-year agreement with the federation. With his contract set to expire next month, discussions about its extension had commenced between the country’s football governing body and the American coach.
Earlier this month, there were reports (though not from IWITNESSLIVE Sports Extra) suggesting that Waldrum had been dismissed following an Executive Committee meeting of the NFF in Uyo. However, an anonymous aide to the NFF president confirmed to PUNCH Sports Extra that the federation officials were pleased with Waldrum’s performance during the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Consequently, they urged the Technical Committee to initiate contact with Waldrum for the renewal of a new one-year contract.
Two weeks after the report, there had been no confirmation announcing the renewal of the 67-year-old coach and a source in the Super Falcons camp had revealed to our correspondent that both parties were scheduled to discuss terms earlier this month.
“The Technical Director reached out to Waldrum to say they wanted to keep him on moving forward,” the source said.
“They were going to meet to renegotiate during the São Tomé games but obviously they didn’t get to do so with the games being cancelled. Hopefully, they will reach out to him soon and start the process.”
The nine-time African champions were to host the Sao Tome and Principe ladies in the first leg of the qualifying match at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Lagos September 22, with the return leg scheduled for Tuesday, September, 26.
The Island country however pulled out of the qualifiers citing logistics as the primary reason for their opponents’ withdrawal from the WAFCON qualifiers.
“Sao Tome have officially withdrawn from the game against Nigeria,” he said.
“They said they don’t have a stadium in their country and that has increased their cost of participating in international competitions,” NFF’s Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire, told us.
