“I Wasn’t Paid for 14 Months”: Former Super Falcons Coach Randy Waldrum Slams NFF Over Poor Financial Management

Former Super Falcons head coach Randy Waldrum has criticized the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), revealing that he went unpaid for 14 months during his tenure.

In a candid interview with Eagles Tracker, the 68-year-old American coach expressed deep concern about the state of football administration in Nigeria, warning that continued neglect of infrastructure and poor financial practices could derail the country’s football future.

“I Could’ve Lost My Home”

Waldrum, who led Nigeria’s women’s national team to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and qualification for the 2024 Olympic Games, said the NFF’s inability to honor salary obligations left him financially vulnerable.

“If I wasn’t working at Pittsburgh, I would’ve lost my home here,” he revealed, referring to his concurrent role as the head coach of the University of Pittsburgh women’s soccer team. “I had to take multiple jobs just to stay afloat.”

Throughout his four-year stint, Waldrum said he attempted to bring long-term planning and structure to Nigerian football. He even developed a 10-year roadmap to transform the Super Falcons into World Cup contenders, but claims his ideas received little support from the federation.

“I thought I could bring some of the organizational ideas and structure from the U.S. setup, where women’s football is at the highest level,” Waldrum explained. “But the lack of investment made it incredibly difficult.”

Waldrum also warned that Nigeria’s historical dominance in African women’s football is under threat, pointing to countries like Morocco, South Africa, and Ivory Coast that are now heavily investing in the sport.

“Nigeria almost acts like it’s their birthright to win the WAFCON, but if they’re not careful, they won’t even qualify for future World Cups,” he cautioned. “Other African nations are closing the gap quickly.”

Under Waldrum’s leadership, Nigeria benefited from an influx of foreign-born talent, thanks to his strong connections in the United States. He believes the team had the potential for greater success if it had been better supported at the administrative level.

“There’s so much potential in Nigeria—on both the men’s and women’s sides,” he said. “We had great players and achieved some success, but it could have been so much more.”