Former Beşiktaş star warns Randy Waldrum, Super Falcons of the ‘age’ pitfall at the Paris Olympics

Former Beşiktaş goalkeeper Ike Shorunmu has urged coach Randy Waldrum to focus on taking young and energetic players to the 2024 Paris Olympics for the best results, Soccernet.ng reports.

Nigeria overcame Ethiopia, Cameroon, and South Africa to book their place at the Olympics for the first time in 16 years.

The Super Falcons have an even bigger task ahead at the event, where they have been placed in a difficult-looking Group C.

The nine-time African champions will trade tackles with world champions Spain, Asian powerhouse Japan, and South American queens Brazil.

The Super Falcons have to be at their psychological and physical best to stand a chance to get the better of these formidable opponents and make it past the group stage of the Olympic Games for the first time in history, opines Shorunmu.

To achieve that, the former Super Eagles goalkeeper has urged coach Randy Waldrum to select young and dynamic players over aged stars for the Olympics.

“I urge the Falcons to be strong, focused, and resilient in their game at the group stage because the team belongs to the group of world football champions,” Shorunmu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), as per the Vanguard. 

“At the same time, it is a necessity for the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the technical crew to involve seasoned players.

“Beware of aged players for better performance by the team at the group stage.”

To his credit, coach Randy Waldrum has built a strong Super Falcons team around young and dynamic players, including Tosin Demehin, Deborah Abiodun, Chiamaka Nnadozie, and Christy Ucheibe, who are all 23 or under.

However, 40-year-old Onome Ebi, Tochukwu Oluehi (36), and Yetunde Balogun (34) will all hope to be a part of the squad for the Olympic Games.