Reports circulating in Nigerian media suggest the inclusion of 41-year-old Onome Ebi and veteran forward Francisca Ordega in the Super Falcons squad list for the Summer Olympics, Soccernet.ng reports.
The Super Falcons secured their 2024 Olympic tickets for the first time in 16 years following their victory against the Banyana Banyana of South Africa, which has placed them in a group with Spain, Brazil, and Japan for the tournament.
With only a few weeks to the start of the Olympics, reports indicate that some Nigeria Football Federation officials are attempting to include Ebi and Ordega in Randy Waldrum’s squad list.
Soccernet.ng examines this issue and presents four reasons why these two players should not be considered for the tournament.
Age Factor
It’s time for veteran defender Ebi to consider retiring from the Super Falcons squad following her nine-minute participation in the 2023 Women’s World Cup. Ebi, who turned 41 in May, has had a distinguished career as a defender.
However, her limited playing time in the last World Cup suggests she may not contribute much at her age.
Similarly, veteran forward Ordega, who is no longer as active as she once was for the Super Falcons, could make way for younger players who can be more effective in those roles.
Waste of Slots
Tournament organizers have permitted teams to include four alternate players in addition to the standard 18-woman squad. Teams like Australia (22 players), Japan (21 players), and the USA (21 players) have utilized this rule to expand their rosters.
However, sources reveal that Randy Waldrum, the coach of the Super Falcons, was initially instructed by top federation officials not to include additional players due to financial constraints.
Despite this, officials later reversed their decision and allegedly submitted an alternate list to the organizers, including Ordega’s name, without informing Waldrum. This move aimed to ensure certain players' inclusion despite the initial directive.
Player Form
Ordega has only scored six goals in her last 12 appearances for her club and has been omitted by Waldrum from his qualification squad due to not meeting the required level.
Similarly, Ebi, who joined Israeli Women’s Premier League side Bnot Netanya, has not been in regular playing time for her club.
Compared to other available options, these two players do not offer the same level of performance needed for the Olympic tournament.
Focus on Current Squad
The Super Falcons squad has been without the expertise of CSKA Moscow women’s player, who last made an appearance at the World Cup. It is suggested that the same set of players who secured the ticket for Nigeria be featured for the tournament.
This would ensure continuity and reward the players who have been performing well and contributing to the team's recent success.
While I wholeheartedly agree that Onome Ebi and Franca Ordega should be left OUT of the Olympics squad (even as alternates) and be allowed to retire from the national team with grace, just for the record Onome Ebi is a regular starter for her Israeli club and frankly Ordega’s reported 6 goals in 12 games is a solid return for any forward.
Nonetheless, it’s said that “if you don’t eventually leave football, football will leave you” and international football has left these two LEGENDS a while back. Let’s not ruin the beautiful memories.