Controversy is heralding the Super Falcons’ outing at this year’s Africa Women Cup of Nations in Ghana, as footballlive.ng gathered that the team’s technical adviser, Thomas Dennerby is being owed eight months’ salaries by Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
While the coach had to be placated before continuing on the job ahead of the Africa Women Cup of Nations in Ghana, the NFF could not provide an official uniform for the players’ flight to their new training base at Sol Beni, in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.
The Falcons looked ill-sorted, as the players traveled out to Sol Beni in an array of multiple colours, amidst feelers that Dennerby was ready to quit but NFF top shots begged him to stay on while their sort things out.
his is in contrast with promises made by the NFF when they signed Dennerby at the start of this year, along with his compatriot from Sweden, Jorgen Petersson as his assistant.
he NFF disclosed that Dennerby’s contract will last till after the 2020 Olympics in the initial, with the right for automatic renewal subject to meeting of performance milestones.
The Swede will have the opportunity to prove himself at the 2018 and 2020 AWCON, the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup and Tokyo Olympics.
ack then, the NFF promised the former head coach of Sweden’s female national team that they would ‘put in place machinery for very robust and meaningful development of women football in Nigeria, and for the Falcons to challenge for laurels at global championships.’
However, officials at The Glasshouse have failed to meet their pledge to Dennerby, who won 34 caps for Sweden’s junior teams between 1975 and 1981 and coached the Scandinavian country’s women’s senior side between 2005 and 2012.
During his time in charge, the Swedish team played at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics and the 2007 and 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup finals, winning bronze at the latter tournament.
Dennerby also did scouting and analyses for the Swedish FA at the 2013 and 2017 European Championships, the 2016 Olympics and the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada.
Dennerby’s assistant, Petersson, has worked with several top Swedish clubs and was assistant coach of the Swedish U23 women team between 2006 and 2012.
NFF’s second vice president, Shehu Dikko said at the coach’s unveiling in Abuja: “We believe we have the right man to take the Super Falcons and women’s football in Nigeria to the next level.
“We went all out for a man of Dennerby’s pedigree and capacity because we want the Falcons to win laurels at global championships.
“As a Federation, we will give Mr. Dennerby and his assistant Petersson, as well as his Nigerian assistants all they require to succeed.”
That was in January, but the NFF appear to have either forgotten their promises, or are taking issues with levity.
This is much to the chagrin and worries of Nigerian soccer fans, who are apprehensive of the implications on the Falcons’ AWCON 2018 chances
