Former head coach of Nigeria’s women’s national team, Randy Waldrum, has revealed he endured long spells without pay while managing the Super Falcons.
The 68-year-old American, who led Nigeria to qualification for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2024 Paris Olympics, opened up about his experience in a recent interview with Eagles Tracker, stating that the financial uncertainty almost cost him his home.
“There were times I wasn’t paid for 14 months. If I wasn’t working at Pittsburgh, I would’ve lost my home here,” Waldrum said.
“In the US, you have house payments, car payments, medical insurance… and if you don’t pay, you lose everything. I needed the security.”
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Waldrum initially turned down the Super Falcons job in 2017 but accepted in October 2020. He stepped down last year to care for his wife Dianna, who underwent open heart surgery.
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Despite his departure, the American coach remains deeply connected to Nigerian football and voiced concern about the country’s complacency.
“Nigeria almost feels like it’s a birthright to win WAFCON,” he said.
“But it won’t continue that way. A day will come when they won’t qualify for the World Cup if they’re not careful.”
Waldrum contrasted Nigeria’s approach with Morocco’s growing football infrastructure.
“If you go to Morocco and look at their national training centre, it’s immaculate, pristine—one of the best I’ve seen anywhere,” he said.
“They’ve invested, and you saw the results at the last Men’s World Cup. Their Women’s team is also growing.”
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He added that while Nigeria boasts talent, the lack of systemic support from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) could prove costly.
“It’s easy to dismiss coaches if they don’t win, but without proper support, no one will succeed. You can’t rely on talent alone anymore.”
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Waldrum concluded by reaffirming his love for the team.
“I never downplayed Nigeria. They were never second to Pittsburgh in the four years I was there. I gave everything to help them succeed.”
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The Super Falcons, now under the guidance of Justine Madugu, begin their 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) campaign on July 6th against Tunisia, followed by fixtures against Botswana and Algeria in Group C.
