Nigeria’s Super Falcons and Shenghai Shenglii FC of China forward Francesca Ordegah has disclosed that the senior women team will rise from recent set back and dominate the game in the continent and beyond Africa as early as possible.
Reacting to the inability of Super Falcons to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, Ordegah stated that it was a very painful experience losing to Cote D’Ivoire on the away goals rules after a 1-1 aggregate scores over two legs adding that it was a day things simply did not work out as planned
“I have heard and read people blaming our exit on crisis and infighting in our team, but I want to state it clearly here that there is no crisis in Super Falcons. We are united and it is not true that infighting and crisis in camp caused us our Olympic games ticket. It is not true, we lost because we failed to score in Lagos. On a good day, we should have beaten the Ivoriens hands down.
“Other African countries are catching up and except we raise our game by improving our league which has been static and make solid development plans, they may overtake us in near future. A good league will boost our football development but I cannot say we have a great league at the moment
“Our interim coach Chris Danjuma told us what to do to win the game after a goalless draw in Abidjan but tried as did to get the needed win it was not to be and we crashed out. He is a good and very hard working coach but on that day we be failed to deliver. The change in captaincy did not divide the team as being speculated. It was just one of those days when nothing works for you” Ordegah stated
Ordegah also bares her mind on the recent removal of Head of Women football development Ruth David after the crash. According to her, “ it was unfair to blamed her for our exit from the Olympic Games qualifiers adding that Ruth is a mother to us and I am very close to her”
“She is strict but jovial with the players and officials. A very detailed and passionate woman who wants the best for our country. She borrowed money from friends and relatives to pay us our outstanding allowances to avoid a planned protest during the pre world cup camp in Austria.
“This was about the second or third time she had saved the country such national embarrassment from players. Nobody can say she short pay or collect gratification from any player or officials. I will miss her now that she has been removed and I pray that her removal will not be counter productive” Ordegah stressed
She assured that Super Falcons will bounce back stronger pointing out that the Olympic Games set back will be used as a motivation to retain the African Women Nations Cup next year. “We will to appease our fans and Nigerians by qualifying with ease and going ahead to retain the trophy won in Ghana last year” she concluded
