A former Super Falcons Chief Coach, Ismaila Mabo has said he is confident that given the necessary support, indigenous coaches can surpass the record of quarter-final he set with the female national team at the 1999 Women’s World Cup in the USA.
The former Green Eagles player who celebrated his 76th birthday on Wednesday was the head coach of the Super Falcons at the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup, 2000 Summer Olympics and 2004 Summer Olympics.
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The record of quarter-finals set by the team at the 1999 World Cup and 2004 Summer Olympics are yet to be beaten by any of Mabo’s successors.
Born on July 15, 1944, the former international told Daily Trust on Wednesday that he is vehemently opposed to the idea of hiring expatriate coaches for the female national team because he is convinced that a local coach can do better, if given a chance.
“You know what I stand for. I don’t believe in the NFF hiring foreign coaches for the Super Falcons or any of the other national teams.
“It is my belief that our indigenous coach can do what Paul Hamilton and I did with the Super Falcons when we were in charge of the team.
“I took Super Falcons to the quarter finals of the 1999 World Cup in the USA and quarter-finals at the 2004 Olympics in Greece. Up to this moment, my records have not been beaten.
“I believe that if NFF will give indigenous coaches a chance, my records would be beaten. I don’t support the idea of engaging foreign coaches for the Super Falcons,” he said.
He also expressed disappointment that the Super Falcons are now losing matches to lowly rated nations like Ivory Coast.
Mabo added that if something is not done urgently to arrest the drift, Nigeria may begin to lose to even Niger Republic.
“Today we are losing to Ivory Coast, who knows if tomorrow we would lose to Niger Republic. My call to the NFF is for them to look for ways to bring back the lost glory.
This is my appeal. For now nothing is going on in the Super Falcons,” he lamented.
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