South Africa legend Portia Modise slams Randy Waldrum’s Super Falcons as the poorest Nigerian team ever
South African female football hero Portia Modise is convinced that the Super Falcons, as presently constituted, are the poorest Nigerian national team she has ever seen, Soccernet.ng reports.
Modise shared her views after watching Nigeria beat South Africa to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games following an aggregate 1-0 victory.
The Super Falcons claimed a 1-0 win over the Banyana Banyana in the first leg in Abuja on April 5. They battled out to secure a goalless draw in the return fixture in Pretoria four days later.
While coach Randy Waldrum’s girls have been applauded for securing Nigeria’s first appearance at the Olympics in 16 years, Modise is appalled at the type of football the Falcons displayed against South Africa.
For Modise, the Super Falcons players had terrible first touches and played with far less quality than the Nigerian teams she played against in the past.
The Banyana Banyana’s all-time top goalscorer with 101 goals, Modise is disappointed the Banyana failed to get the better of such a poor Nigerian team.
And the former South Africa captain has called for the sack of the coach of the reigning African champions, Desiree Ellis.
“I am hurt even now after seeing the game; it’s my first time to see a poor Nigeria team like this since I started football; we needed to beat that team; they didn’t have anything to scare us,” Modise said on Metro FM’s Sports Night Amplified, as per Goal.
“That Nigeria players can’t trap the ball, they can’t do even first touches. That was not a Nigeria we used to play against, not this one.
“When I was watching the game yesterday, we needed people with skill and players who could think, there was none of that in the game against Nigeria yesterday.
“Favouritism needs to stop in the national team and players must be selected deservedly, not because of favouritism. We have good players in the Hollywoodbets Super League; we have good players out there who can perform.
“I think if you want my crucial opinion, I think our coach [Desiree Ellis] has done well and she put us on the plan, but now we require someone with a second plan and a new vision, someone who can take us somewhere.
“Listen, I do not have any beef with the coach, but I think she has done well, and we require someone. Leaving a position sometimes doesn’t mean you didn’t do well, but sometimes we need a fresh mind.”
Nigeria’s Super Falcons remain the number-one ranked team on the continent, followed by South Africa’s Banyana Banyana.
The nine-time African champions reached the knockout round of the FIFA Women’s World Cup last year and will look to repeat the feat at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
NB: Is Randy Waldrum’s Super Falcons as poor as Portia Modise claimed? Leave your comments below.
