Women's Soccer Team Losing Their Coach?
- Thread starter jffrprt
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There is really no international soccer being played right now. Cup of Nations was cancelled and World Cup Qualifying for 2023 probably won't start until next year at the earliest. So, if this report is accurate, he'll probably finish up at Pitt this year before he starts working with the Nigeria women's national team.
Also, I suppose there's a chance he could pull double duty as he did when he coached the Dash and T&T's WNT.
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He is still at Pitt. It is not unusual for college coaches to take on these international positions. There are only a handful of nations where the head coach of the national team is full-time, year-round on the women's side. UVA's head coach was a top assistant under Jill Ellis until last year, same for Penn State's who was an assistant for the USWNT under Sundhage, and there are others. In fact, over the years college head coaches have typically run the US youth teams (U-17, U-19, etc).
Waldrum was the coach of the US U-23 team for a number of years, too.
Yea, I would guess that the Nigeria job is part-time and I'm sure it pays much less than Pitt. Isnt the Pitt lacrosse coach the Canadien NT HC?
Yeah a country like Nigeria isn’t playing much of a schedule of friendlies outside of qualifying for the major competitions. Nigeria didn’t qualify for the Olympics so I would guess he will hold a few training camps each summer in advance of qualification for the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
And Im gonna guess most of the training sessions will be in the US, probably Pittsburgh with American D2 and D3 players who have Nigerian parents
Not quite. Based on the roster I found, the Nigerian women’s team is made up of players largely who play for professional clubs in Nigeria, with a handful playing for European clubs. Maybe that will change, but you’d think that most players who are eligible to play for an national team would be pursuing that option already, if they’re good enough.
OK but I am guessing part of the reason for hiring Waldrum is for him to recruit Americans with Nigerian parents to play.
Nigeria advanced to the knockout stage at the last World Cup so they are probably the top nation in Africa (though they surprisingly didn’t qualify for the Olympics). Yes, most of their players do play either in their domestic league (doubtful the quality of very good), while a few of the top ones play in Spain or France, which are very good women’s leagues. That said, SMF’s point is probably true also. The value of an American college player with Nigerian eligibility is that that you know they are in a year round training environment.
And part of the reason that Waldrum accepted is for him to recruit Nigerian (and other African) players to play for Pitt.
Waldrum: "I'd like to thank Heather Lyke for allowing me to do this and understanding the benefit for the Pitt women's soccer program."
from
pittsburghpanthers.com
from
Randy Waldrum Named Head Coach of the Nigeria Women’s Senior National Team - Pitt Panthers #H2P
PITTSBURGH – Pitt women's soccer head coach Randy Waldrum was named the head coach of the Nigeria Senior Women's National Team, the Nigeria Football Federation announced Monday. Waldrum will coach the Super Falcons in addition to his current role as head coach of the Panthers.
pittsburghpanthers.com
True but I would think Nigeria produces very few to no ACC level players. I'd also think Pitt would beat Nigeria.
I have no doubt that you think that.
I also have no doubt that you are wrong.
In 2010 and in 2014 Nigeria finished second in the U20 World Cup. In 2012 they lost to the US in the semis. In 2018 they lost in the quarters. Do you think that they are finishing near the top of the world in the age group that would represent many college freshmen and sophomores based on luck?
In 2014 when they lost in the championship to Germany they had the tournaments leading scorer and the tournament Golden Ball winner. She scored her first senior World Cup goal as a 19 year old. She currently plays at Barcelona. You don't think she'd have been good enough to play in the ACC?
They have college aged players playing professionally at places like Madrid, Paris FC, and several players playing in Sweden and Norway, which both have pretty good women's leagues. But yeah, none of those players would be good enough to get on the field in the ACC.
Nigeria advanced to the knockout stage at the 2019 Women’s World Cup (ultimately won by the US). I watched every single match and the quality and depth of the field was the best it has ever been in the Women’s game. For Nigeria to get to the final 16 was impressive, but not unsurprising considering they are one of the hardest teams to play against because of their speed. At the 2015 World Cup, they hung with the US and lost only 1-0 to the most loaded women’s team ever.
So no, Pitt would not beat Nigeria. No way. But SMF loves playing these fantasy matchups in his head and declaring with certainty who would win
So no, Pitt would not beat Nigeria. No way. But SMF loves playing these fantasy matchups in his head and declaring with certainty who would win
Nigeria advanced to the knockout stage at the 2019 Women’s World Cup (ultimately won by the US). I watched every single match and the quality and depth of the field was the best it has ever been in the Women’s game. For Nigeria to get to the final 16 was impressive, but not unsurprising considering they are one of the hardest teams to play against because of their speed. At the 2015 World Cup, they hung with the US and lost only 1-0 to the most loaded women’s team ever.
So no, Pitt would not beat Nigeria. No way. But SMF loves playing these fantasy matchups in his head and declaring with certainty who would win
Not buying Nigeria women's soccer. Sorry. Still taking Pitt.
To be fair though, that's because you have no idea what you are talking about.
Again.
I know enough to know that international women's soccer is horrible which is why the US breezes through all the time. They are playing glorified rec teams that Pitt can beat, like Nigeria.
I already said you didn't know what you were talking about, you didn't need to post again to prove my point.
Answer me this, if the Pitt women played the US national team in a meaningful game, meaning either the World Cup or the Olympics, how badly do you suppose that Pitt would lose? Because the last three times Nigeria played the US in those tournaments the scores were 3-1, 1-0 and 1-0.
Do you really think that there is any chance in the world that Pitt would only lose to the US National team by a goal or two?
Do you really think that there is any chance in the world that Pitt would only lose to the US National team by a goal or two?
Joe, you posted exactly what I was going to.
Considering the Pitt women have never had a player so much as sniff a national team roster — probably not even a U20 — I think most rational people understand that trying to compare a Pitt program that even in good years is in the bottom half of the ACC to an international team that advances in the World Cup is foolish.
SMF has already proven through his comments the last several years that he is ignorant to the women’s game. It’s borderline misogynistic.
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Notice that he's been posting on the boards all throughout the day, but he hasn't figured out a way to answer my question without looking like a complete idiot, so he's just ignoring it.
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