Coach Randy Waldrum has backtracked on the spiteful statement he made about the Nigerian media in the post-match conference against Botswana at the ongoing Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morroco.
Coach of Nine-time African champions, Randy Waldrum had initially called the Nigerian media “very negative” and also shunned the media referring to the Nigerian media space as a “distraction”. Nigerian journalists in Morroco have been refused the opportunity to cover team training, and interview players, unless during pre-match and post-match conferences.
But, with Nigeria set to face the whipping girls of Group C, Burundi, the American gaffer has come to realise the importance of the media in women’s football.
At the pre-match conference, the 65-year-old tactician eulogized the media and their importance when it comes to the growth of Women’s Football.
“Again, we know the importance of the job that the media plays and we support that.”
The coach went on to harp on the media reporting positively about the Super Falcons, which he believes will grow the women’s game.
“Although, we have a lot of work to do, you know, what I just want everybody to understand is, I’m a real big believer in building the women’s game and I just think we need the media, like the media’s very important to us and I’d like to see positive, you know, I mean, we, we all should be held accountable when we don’t win and questions will be asked, but I think there are so many positive things about not only our team, the super Falcons, but the players individually, and about all the teams in this tournament.
“I think right now, as we try to grow the women’s game, we just need as much positivity as we can. You know, we’re still not viewed at the same level as the men’s game and those things far coach sometimes can be frustrating because I think there are so many things that we could do better to promote our game than to just bury the players and bury the staff and bury the Federation all the time and that’s what I’m looking for and we hope to get that.” He added.
Photo: Ayoola Adeleke