NFA explains inclusion of Falcons' keeper
By Gowon Akpbodonor
FACTS have emerged on why the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) took the risk of including the name of Super Falcons goalkeeper, Ogechi Onyinanya in the Falconets squad that will be representing Africa in this year's FIFA U-19 Women championship holding in Bangkok, Thailand.
Before the departure of Falconets to Thailand last Friday, there were rumours that the NFA was looking for a way to play a fast one on FIFA with the dying minutes inclusion of Onyinanya in the list of 21 players for the tournament. The keeper was in the Super Falcons team to the 8th All Africa Games, Abuja 2003, the 2004 Athens Olympic Games as well as the just concluded African Women Championship (AWC) in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Speaking with The Guardian at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, shortly before the team's departure for Thailand, Head of the Female Football Committee of the NFA, Alhaja Ayo Omidiran explained that the soccer authority took the decision after due clearance from the keeper's father.
"Before we arrived at the decision to include Ogechi's name in the team, the NFA had to send some people to the East to verify from her father about her true age. We decided to do that so as to be double sure of the situation of things. We have been hearing some side talks about Ogechi's age and I can tell you that she is qualify to represent Nigeria in the championship", Omidiran stated.
When The Guardian sought the view of the player in question (Ogechi Onyinanya), she said "anybody saying that I am overage should wait until FIFA will ban me from taking part in the championship".
"I was born on May 26, 1985. The same international passport which I used during the qualifier for the 2002 FIFA U-19 women championship, is what I am still using till today. How come people are making noise about me? Please, help me tell Nigerians that I am not over-age for this competition. I cannot deliberately put the nation at risk," Onyinanya added.
On what Nigerians should expect from the Falconets, Onyinanya replied: "We are going to Thailand not for a jamboree but for a serious business. Our target is the trophy and Nigerians back home should pray for our success in the competition".
She added that with the calibre of players in the Nigerian squad, the Falconets are capable of emerging the world champions in Thailand.
"It is true that we did not have enough time to train together, but don't forget that virtually all these players have been involved in series of competitions recently. Some of us played in the African Women championship (AWC) in South Africa while others featured for their respective clubs in the just concluded 2004 female Challenge Cup. All the players are fit for the competition and I am hopeful of a good outing in Thailand," Onyinanya added.
The Pelican Stars of Calabar goalkeeper was among the five experienced players included in the Falconets squad at the dying minutes before the team's departure last Friday to Bangkok.
Others are defenders Akudo Sabi, Faith Ikidi (Bayelsa Queens), Ayisat Yusuf (Delta Queens) and Cynthia Uwak (FCT Queens, Abuja).
