How To Revive Super Falcons, By Omagbemi

SUPER Falcons former captain, Florence Omagbemi, yesterday counseled the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on how to re-position the team for future challenges after the team's poor run in recent times.Apart from losing to Ghana U-20 side in the qualifier for the recently concluded 2011 All African Games in Maputo, the African champions fell to the Lionesses of Cameroon in the final qualifier of the London 2012 Olympic Games, a defeat that saw Nigeria missing the event for the first time since 2000. It forced the NFF to terminate the contract of coach Uche Eucharia.Speaking with The Guardian from her base in the United States of America yesterday, Omagbemi, who made history as the first African to be named in the U.S. Women Soccer League Hall of Fame during the week, said that what the Falcons needed at the moment is a coach with vast knowledge of coaching in women's football.'I know that many people back home, especially those eyeing the Super Falcons job won't agree with me, but to state the obvious, the team need an experienced coach to begin a revival process. Uche tried her best, but it was not good enough. After the male team failed to pick a ticket to the 2012 African Nations Cup, I was expecting the Falcons to seize the stage by qualifying for the London 2012 Olympic Games. That would have uplifted the game of female football in the country. But it was not to be.'Omagbemi, who captained the national team for 13 years, winning three African Women Championship (AWC) title and appearing in four World Cup as well as one Olympic Games said: 'Now, what the NFF should do is bring a coach like Sam Okpodu to team up with someone like Effiong Ntiero to revive the team. Okpodu remains one of the best coaches in the world when it comes to women football. He is well respected here in the United States for his sound technical ability in women's football. If Okpodu is made the head coach, then, the NFF can decide to look the direction of ex-Falcons players as assistant. I personally will like to work with Okpodu in re-building the team. Someone like Mercy Akide can still come in as assistant too. I will really want the NFF to give it a serious thought because the game is going down.
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