Randy Waldrum: NFF agrees to have American continue as Super Falcons coach as Olympics beckons – report

The American gaffer has been in charge of the Nigerian national female team since 2020 and will remain at the job after an excellent 2023

University of Pittsburgh Panthers women’s soccer team boss Randy Waldrum will continue as head coach of the Super Falcons, Soccernet.ng reports.

Waldrum, appointed to head the Nigerian national female team three years ago, led the Falcons to a disappointing fourth-place finish at the 2022 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

However, the American tactician and the Falcons threw up a few surprises at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

Nigeria made it past the group stage at the Mundial for only the third time in history and the first time since 2019. After scoring three goals and conceding two, the Super Falcons ended their World Cup campaign with a positive goal difference for the first time ever.

But with his contract expiring after the tournament, Waldrum returned to the United States, where he also attends to his role as the chief coach of the University of Pittsburgh Panthers women’s soccer team.

In his absence, coach Justin Madugu has handled the Falcons on an interim basis, with the team winning three and drawing one of the four games played.

Of those games, the Falcons claimed a 5-1 aggregate win over Ethiopia in the second round of the CAF Women’s Olympic qualifying campaign.

Nigeria are scheduled to meet Cameroon in the third round of the qualifying campaign, and Waldrum could be on the gaffer’s bench for that fixture.

According to Osasu Obayiuwana, the Nigeria Football Federation and the American coach have agreed and signed a contract extension deal for the Pitts man.

Nigeria failed to qualify for the last two editions of the Olympic Games.