The Super Falcons Head Coach, Edwin Okon has sacked seven players from the 31 preparing for the friendly clash against the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon and the African Women’s Championship (AWC) final round qualifying match against the She-Amavubi of Rwanda.
Those asked to leave the Falcons camp in Abuja are Humble Nelson from Benue Babes, Joy Anthony (Nasarawa Amazons), Chinyere Ogwumadu (Nasarawa United), Abosede Toriola (Police Machine), Edith Eduvbiere (Ibom Queens), Lilian Tule (FC Taraba Queens) and Sunshine Queens’ Elizabeth Zirike.
Taraba Queens’ Tule spent the shortest time in camp as she came in barely three days together with teammates, Anam Imoh and Nasarawa Amazons’ Amarachi Okoronkwo for decamped duo of Ibom Queens’ Glory Ogbonna and Nasarawa Amazons’ Rachael Akpojortor.
Okon said the players asked to go home did not measure up to the standard put in place for the invited players.
“We set aside minimum requirements expected of the players to meet due to the challenges in our hands against Cameroon and Rwanda.
“Weeding of players is a continuous exercise until we get the best so the seven asked to go didn’t meet the requirement expected of them.
“We’re operating an open camp. There is no hiding place for non-performers. We have 24 players left for us to continue our preparations for the games against Cameroon and Rwanda.
“Though the game against Cameroon is a friendly clash, we want to give good account of ourselves which will give us confidence to challenge Rwanda in the two-legged AWC qualifying match,” said the Nigeria Women Premier League (NWPL) side, Rivers Angels head coach.
The friendly clash against the Cameroonians will take place on Tuesday, 15 April at the Fifa Goal Project ground in Abuja while the AWC qualifying match against Rwanda will be held in Kigali on the weekend of 23-25 May and 6-8 June in Abuja, Nigeria.
The aggregate winners of the AWC tie will qualify for the 2014 AWC in Namibia which serves as a qualifier for the 2015 Fifa Women’s World Cup in Canada.
