NFF Reappoints Danjuma As Falconets’ Head Coach

Christopher Musa Danjuma has returned to his job as Head Coach of the U20 Women National Team, Falconets, following a screening and interview process by the NFF Technical Committee. The committee submitted its recommendation and the same has been approved by the NFF Executive Committee.

The process began with a one-week public notice which requested for applications from suitably qualified persons, after which short-listed candidates were contacted and interviewed by a panel of the Technical Committee.

Danjuma, who has taken temporary charge of the Senior Women National Team, Super Falcons, on a couple of occasions, led the Falconets to the quarter-finals of last year’s FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals in Costa Rica.

The experienced gaffer will be assisted by former U20 and U17 girls’ assistant coach Mansur Abdullahi, and former Super Falcons’ midfielder Effioanwan Ekpo.

Ekpo, who represented Nigeria for 10 years between 2000 and 2010, featured at the 2003 and 2007 FIFA World Cup finals in USA and China respectively, at the 2004 and 2008 Women Olympic Football Tournaments in Athens and Beijing respectively, and was a Women Africa Cup of Nations gold medallist on three occasions. She also featured at the 2007 All-Africa Games in Algiers.

Yahaya Audu, who has been goalkeeper trainer of the team, also returns to his position.

The Falconets will commence their 2024 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup qualifying campaign with a second round, first leg encounter against their counterparts from Mauritius in Saint Pierre on Sunday, 8th October, with the return leg scheduled for the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abuja on Saturday, 14th October 2023.

…Stakeholders Root For Unanuel As Flamingoes’ Coach

Key football stakeholders in Nigeria are pleading with the Ibrahim Gusau-led board of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to appoint the former Enyimba International FC manager as the head coach of the women’s national U17 football team, Flamingoes. T

his is following the high powered lobbying currently going on over the national team jobs as several other interest groups are pushing for their candidates to get appointed as the coach of Falconets and Flamingoes.

But with Christopher Musa Danjuma returned to his position as Falconets’ head coach, stakeholders are pushing for Samson Unanuel to be appointed as the Flamingoes’ head coach, urging President Ibrahim Gusau-led NFF board to look at experience, capacity and competence the German trained football tactician will bring to bear on the women national U17 team. 

They argued that of all the candidates penciled down for the job, Unanuel who is presently managing Calabar Rovers FC stands out with his tactical prowess and has all that is required to make Flamingoes the world-beater. 

“Samson Unanuel is the best man for Flamingoes. So, I advise the NFF board to look at capacity, experience and competence in appointing anyone for this job. Unanuel has done well and excelled in most of the jobs he has handled in this country.

“He is the only Nigerian coach that has handled Enyimba International of Aba two times and he was Super Falcons assistant coach. So, he has what it takes to groom a women’s team, don’t forget that Flamingoes is primarily for development of players for the senior national team,” a member of Nigeria’s football congress who pledged anonymity said. 

On his part, the organizing secretary of Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria (YSFON), Abdurazaq Usman, said Unanuel is the most experienced of all the names being speculated for the Falconets or Flamingoes coaching job. “Needless to say that Samson Unanuel who had worked with YSFON previously and also managed several clubs in Nigeria is the most experienced of all the names speculated for the job. Most of the personalities lobbyists are clamouring for were nowhere near his pedigree and can’t match his tactical knowledge of the game of football. NFF should do the needful by giving the Flamingoes a good coach that will lead them to sucesses,” Usman said. 

The NFF board announced after its annual general assembly meeting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom capital, early this month, that is searching for new coaching crews for the various women national teams (Super Falcons, Falconets and Flamingos) within the shortest possible time as the Super Falcons and Falconets have crucial qualifying fixtures for major championships.