Super Falcons assistant coach Lauren Gregg gives her side of the story after World Cup axe  

Super Falcons assistant coach, Lauren Gregg has shed more light to the back-and-forth between the Nigeria Football Federation and the coach of the Nigeria's Women National Team, Randy Waldrum.

 

Recall that the coach had earlier alleged that experienced goalkeeper Tochukwu Oluehi was expelled from the team for demanding for the team to be paid bonuses.

 

Waldrum further alleged that the NFF ordered him to replace Oluehi with a home-based goalkeeper and when he refused, they denied his assistant, Lauren Gregg a chance to be at the World Cup.

 

Responding to the claim, the NFF through a statement by Ademola Olajire, NFF's Director of Communication accused the coach of hiding behind his deficiencies and shifting blame. The NFF further accused the coach of trying to waste resources.

 

In another event, the Super Falcons coach replied to the NFF, asking questions about the 960,000 dollars fund from FIFA.

 

The coach also claimed to be owed fourteen months salary before seven months was paid a few weeks ago.

 

Responding to the allegation of the coach again, the Director of Communication of NFF, Ademola Olajiri described Waldrum as the worst Super Falcons coach in the history of the nation, stating that the said fund from FIFA was used for the preparation of the team to the tournament.

 

Shedding more light to the face-off between both parties, Lauren Gregg said the inability of the Falcons to pick a medal at WAFCON affected the relationship between the NFF and Waldrum.

 

Gregg who will not be at the FIFA Womens' World Cup in Australia and New Zealand disclosed this while speaking with the Equalizer  on Saturday, July 8, 2023.

 

In Morocco, the Super Falcons were denied a chance in the final of the tournament by the host, who defeated Nigeria via penalties with the Falcons holding the host at bay for 60 minutes with nine players (Halimatu Ayinde and Rasheedat Ajibade were red carded).

 

Speaking on the game, Gregg said the coaching crew was satisfied with the performance of the players but revealed that the NFF was furious and blamed them for the penalty missed by Ifeoma Onumonu.

 

"Randy and I both feel it's probably our best coaching game ever — to be able to carry nine players against 11 for 60 minutes and pull out a draw is unprecedented," Gregg told The Equalizer.

 

"You don't find that anywhere in the world ... One of our American-Nigerians missed [a penalty], and the federation faulted us for that. They're very angry that we lost. That started a lot of the dissent."

 

She added that the Falcons players expressed disappointment with the failure of the NFF to pay their bonuses before the third place clash (against Zambia) but stated that the players got some part of their payment before the game.

 

She further stated that the inability of the Falcons to deliver a medal at the WAFCON affected the relationship between the NFF and the technical team.

 

"Our core, starting group of players went from playing 120 minutes with nine players, to no recovery, no training for the next two games and then went into the Zambia game," she explained.

 

"They got enough of their money to play the game. We lost, despite dominating. They were exhausted, mentally, at this point. To not come out with a medal, to not win, it put a crack in our armor and how [the NFF] felt about us."

 

Lauren Gregg has won two World Cup titles and an Olympic gold medal as an assistant coach.

 

 

Adeyemi Adewale

 

 

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