Ahead of the Super Falcons opening match at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, a former coach of the team has said the oldest and most experienced player in the squad, Onome Ebi, has nothing tangible to offer the team again.
The 40 years old defender is one of the old warhorses that many believe will propel the Super Falcons in Australia/New Zealand.
However, in an exclusive interview with Daily Trust, the coach who spoke on condition of anonymity said Onome is going to the World Cup just to achieve personal glory.
In 2019, Onome became the first African football player to feature in five World Cup tournaments.
And at 40 years old, she is setting the record as the oldest woman at the World Cup.
In spite of her records, the coach who questioned Onome’s inclusion in the squad insisted that she has nothing new to offer the team.
“She (Onome) is too old. She does not have anything to offer the team. She is not even active. It is said she is with Abia Angels but how many matches has she played for the club?
“Some people may argue that she is a legend and the team needs her experience but when we are talking of legends, we talk of quality players like Marta of Brazil.
“Marta is also going to her sixth FIFA Women’s World Cup and everyone knows that she is going to contribute something meaningful to her team. The same can’t be said about Onome.
“In fact, they put Marta and Onome, even a blind man will go and pick Marta because they are not the same,” he said.
The coach who said it will take a special miracle for the Super Falcons to progress out of Group B made up of co-host Australia, Republic of Ireland and Canada, added that during the team’s recent friendly matches, Onome was unable to cope with the speed of younger opponents.
“We all saw her in some friendly matches. We saw how some of these oyibo girls messed her up. I think she is going for personal glory. She has nothing more to offer the team,” he concluded.
The Super Falcons will open their campaign against Olympic Champions Canada on Friday at the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium in Melbourne.
