Despite losing 4-2 on penalties to England on Monday, Randy Waldrum, head coach of Nigeria’s women’s national football team, says he is pleased of his players.

The 66-year-old American stated this during his post-match press conference in Brisbane, adding that he would like to continue as head coach and prepare the Super Falcons for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

“I am proud of my team,” he said Osasu Obayiuwana, a Nigerian sports journalist. “I’d like to stay with this team and work towards the Olympics.”

“But that is not a matter for me to decide.”

Waldrum’s contract with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is said to have expired following the Super Falcons’ elimination from the Women’s World Cup.

He was appointed by the NFF to succeed Thomas Dennerby in 2020.

He assisted Nigeria in qualifying for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco last year, where the Super Falcons failed to defend their African championship and finished fourth.

The NFF almost fired him due to his poor performance and a three-game losing streak, but they reconsidered due to the timing of the 2023 Women’s World Cup and the possibility of incurring any contractual penalty costs.

It is however of concern to note that the NFF may decide not to honour Waldrum’s wishes because his explosive interview with On the Whistle podcast put his employers in the eye of the storm, as he accused the federation of misappropriating a whopping $960,000 (N744 million) FIFA’s grant meant for Super Falcons World Cup preparation.