Super Falcons Exclusion: Oparanozie To NFF – ‘Look For Another Lie’
By Amaechi Agbo
There are indications that former Super Falcons captain, Desire Oparanozie is not taking her exclusion from the 23-woman Falcons team to take part in the Turkey Invitational tournament starting on Monday, lightly, Bestshoicesports.com.ng can report
The former Guingamp attacker has taken to her Twitter account to lambast the NFF Director of Communication, Adomola Olajire for asking her to continue to maintain her consistency and push for inclusion in the Super Falcons call up.
Olajire was quoted to have defended her exclusion from the squad saying: “Oparanozie is still part of the team’s plans and her non-inclusion has nothing to do with that protest in France because she was not the only one involved.
“Selection of players is predominantly the prerogative of the coaches and not the NFF.
“She remains an important member of the women’s national side. I think she will just have to keep working on her game and, if she gets the opportunity, then push for a consistent selection.”
But the comment did not go down well with the former Bayelsa Queens and Delta Queens star who questioned Mr Olajire’s sincerity.
She querried how some players who did not have clubs for long made their way into the team.
‘”Work on my game and push for consistent selection”. Those ones who’s been without club for over a year now, how many of their games did they work on over the past one year to merit their inclusion?
“When we’re spoilt for choice. Look for another lie,” she said.
The France-based striker, 27, has been overlooked by the African Champions’ following a sit-in protest over unpaid bonuses and allowances at the 2019 World Cup in France.
Oparanozie said she was not surprised by her omission from new coach Randy Waldrum’s maiden squad hinting that it was because of the protest.
Oparanozie had publicly defended her stance in France that the NFF should include players left out of the World Cup party as they look to pay players money owed from previous international fixtures over several years.
“I did what I felt was right. Even if that’s the only thing I did, I’m very happy.” she said in July.
Meanwhile, the squad announced by the NFF includes reigning African footballer of the year Asisat Oshoala, veteran defender Onome Ebi, former USA youth international Toni Payne and US-born Patricia George.
The continent’s most successful national side with nine African titles will depart Nigeria on 15 February for the fifth edition of the Turkish Cup tournament.
Nigeria will face Uzbekistan in their opening game before facing fellow Africans Equatorial Guinea at the tournament, they had also been due to take on Zambia, who have now withdrawn from the event.