By George Aluo
The Super Falcons technical crew are to hit Europe soon for refresher courses if plans by the nation’s soccer governing body, NFF are anything to go by.
President of the Nigeria Football Federation Amaju Pinnick who spoke yesterday at a brief reception for the team, promised to take the technical crew for more training overseas.
He expressed gratitude to the team for a job well done. Pinnick said Omagbemi and her assistants have done well, even as he added that the team would be adequately rewarded for doing the country proud.
“ You are our pride and by Gods special grace, we will offset all we owe you. 8 time-champions of the African Women’s Championship is not a joke. We cannot reward you enough.
We will interface with clubs in Europe and we will send the female coaches on internship,” Amaju said.
Meanwhile, Omagbemi believes African teams at women international tournaments will compete well if Caf provides more competitions for clubs and national sides on the continent.
Omagbemi made history becoming the second to win the continental crown as a player and a coach after leading the Super Falcons to win the 2016 African Women’s Cup of Nation with a 1-0 victory over Cameroon in Yaounde on Saturday.
The 41-year-old who had won four African titles as player appealed to national associations in Africa to support and encourage the growth of the women’s game in their countries.
She further lamented the poor showing of African teams at the World Cup and Olympics, urging football administrations to give a helping hand to moving the women’s game forward.
“If we want to compare our standard of play with the European teams, it is not all about the Nations Cup,” Omagbemi told Goal.
“Teams that participate at the Nations Cup will have a good level of performance with all other teams. But after the Nations Cup, what next for women in Africa?
“I’m speaking out on behalf of Nigeria and the African continent. Coming out to the press conferences all the time, we hear different stories about how different federations are struggling for support to get their teams ready in women football.
“Now we are done with the Nations Cup. We want to focus again and see how we can prepare these teams for a world cup stage. When the African teams are being represented outside at the world stage at the World Cup and Olympics.”
“It is all about Africa and not about Cameroon and Nigeria. “I will want to use this opportunity to advise the federations in Africa to do more for their women’s’ teams. They have to try and develop the women’s game.