Sack Super Falcons coach if Nigeria fails against Korea, Esu tells NFF

The Super Falcons will today face South Korea in a bid to save their World Cup title ambition in Grenoble, France. After going down 0-3 to Norway in their first group match on Saturday, the Falcons led by foreign tactician, Thomas Dennerby must beat the Koreans, who equally lost their first group match 0-4 to France last Friday. A defeat in today’s match will end Falcons’ campaign in the World Cup.

On the other hand, the African champions will be in a good stead to reach the Round of 16 if they brushed the Koreans aside and hold France to a stalemate in Rennes on June 17. The Falcons can then hope to be among the four best third-placed teams to advance from the group stage.

However, veteran coach, Godfrey Esu says the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will have no reason to keep the foreign coach (Dennerby) if the result against South Korea today was not favourable.

“The coach doesn’t have any excuse to give to Nigerians if the Super Falcons failed to beat Korea,” Esu told The Guardian yesterday. “And I must add that the NFF must be prepared to sack him immediately if the girls failed to win the match. It is clear to many Nigerians now that the NFF caused the problem in the first place by sacking coach Florence Omagbemi for a foreign coach. What changes has Dennerby brought into the team now? I pray they beat Korea,” Esu stated.

At USA 2003 World Cup, the Falcons lost 0-3 to Korea DPR in their first group match, and never recovered from it as they went on to lose 0-5 to USA and 0-3 to Sweden to crash out in the group stage.

Since China 2007, the Falcons have not failed to score a goal at the World Cup. The team led by late coach Effiong Ntiero drew 2-2 with Sweden in their first group match in 2007, but lost their next two matches, including a 0-1 defeat to USA.

At Germany 2011, the Falcons led by coach Uche Eucharia lost 0-2 to France, 0-1 to Germany but recorded a 1-0 victory against Canada in their last group match in the city of Dresden. And four years ago in Canada, the Falcons led by another indigenous coach, Godwin Okon drew 3-3 with Sweden before losing 0-2 to Australia and 0-1 to USA.