After a series of negotiations, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has reached an agreement on a new contract with Super Falcons coach, Randy Waldrum.
NFF President, Ibrahim Gusau, shared the announcement on Tuesday, providing insight into the progress of discussions between the football body and Waldrum.
Waldrum’s initial contract with the NFF expired on October 31, 2023, leaving the American coach without a contract for nearly three months. His initial association with the football body began in 2020.
Under Waldrum’s guidance, the Super Falcons achieved notable successes, reaching the WAFCON semifinals in Morocco in 2022 and the Women’s World Cup round of 16 in Australia and New Zealand in 2023.
Amid speculations regarding the renewal of Waldrum’s contract, particularly with his assistant Justin Madugu leading the team well on an interim basis, Gusau clarified that both the coach and the federation decided to continue their collaboration after extended negotiations.
Gusau revealed that the negotiations were prolonged due to Waldrum’s insistence on bringing his assistant and requesting an increase in allowances. The NFF president anticipated that the finalized deal would be signed on Thursday, just before the federation’s delegation departs for the 2023 AFCON in Ivory Coast.
He stated, “We had extensive discussions with Waldrum, and I think he has agreed to a new contract. We faced issues before the World Cup regarding his preferred choices for the team, but the existing contract between NFF and Waldrum does not specify his right to bring an assistant.”
Gusau further addressed Waldrum’s request for the inclusion of a female staff member, emphasizing the federation’s stance on the matter. He also mentioned that the coach sought an increase in allowances, a proposal that was declined by the NFF due to the team not surpassing their previous highest level of performance at the World Cup.
Concluding his statement, Gusau expressed optimism that the deal would be finalized before the AFCON departure, ensuring continuity in Waldrum’s role as the Super Falcons coach.
