The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is in shock after American, Randy Waldrum, declined to coach the Super Falcons.
In October, the NFF claimed that they had reached an agreement with the 61-year-old to take over the role from Florence Omagbemi.
However, all came crashing after the American opted to accept a new role as the head coach of the University of Pittsburgh women’s team.
It is the second time in 18 months that a foreign manager will reject a coaching offer from the NFF after Frenchman Paul Le Guen turned down the chance to handle the Super Eagles in July 2016.
“I’m quite disappointed that Randy Waldrum was appointed and he decided not to come,” NFF Technical Committee boss, Chris Green, told BBC Sport on Thursday.
“I’m actually disappointed in the fact that I thought we had a good coach in him.”
Green explained why Waldrum had changed his mind and admitted some of the blame must lie with the NFF.
“He said in his letter [to us] that from when the [NFF] president gave him the job, they did not do anything or contact him any further.
“There are other things that are required like signing the contract itself, working conditions, and all the basics that parties have to agree to – nothing was done.
“He was left in the limbo and said he has to feed his family, but extremely disappointed that we’ve lost out on another coach.”
This latest setback comes as a big blow to reigning African champions the Super Falcons who have not played or trained since lifting the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations a year ago.
But Green apologised and admitted shortcomings by the federation as they have failed their women’s team – Africa’s most successful national side – once again.
“Nigeria is a great country with abundant talent for anyone to want and coach, but on our own part [as administrators] there are many things we should have done that are left undone,” he admitted.
“Administratively, that is not how to get things to work out for an organisation like the NFF or in football generally because things are changing in football with new dynamics.
“It doesn’t speak well of Nigerian football that after the Paul Le Guen saga this one is happening again, it doesn’t tell well, but what can we do? We just have to learn and move on.”
