Randy Waldrum, who is currently the head coach of the Super Falcons, has apologized for the questionable comments he made about the Nigerian media at the post-March conference.
According to the manager, the media in Nigeria was very “negative” over the unsavory remarks they made about him and his team following the defeat by Bayana Bayana of South Africa. He was quickly called to order by the Nigerian Football Association, saying such comments would be taken as disrespect to a noble institution that is held in high esteem across Africa for its structure and performance.
However, he apologized and said his statement had been misunderstood. He further appealed to the media to be lenient with their criticism as he understands the Africa Cup of Nations means a lot to Nigerians
“The comments are unfortunate and I retract them in full. I would say that the statement didn’t come out the way I intended. I really appreciate the media everywhere, including Nigeria, and I just wish they could be a little more empathetic with us when we lose games or draw.”
“I know Nigerians love their football teams and want teams to win all the time. You can still support us and offer constructive criticism. The truth is I’m very keen that the team doesn’t get distracted at this point. I apologize for the way it came out and for hurting a critical sector of Nigerian society.”
“We know what the African Women’s Cup means to the Nigerians and we remain fully focused despite the opening day setback. We are determined not only to win a ticket to the FIFA World Cup but also to retain the title that Nigeria has won nine times before.”
Well, he’s obviously right to have apologized, but Nigerian journalists should also be lenient with their criticism.
