Barcelona star Asisat Oshoala not in as Super Falcons open camp

Barcelona star Asisat Oshoala is yet to arrive at Nigeria’s camp ahead of their friendly matches against Haiti and New Zealand. 

The nine-time African champions will play Haiti and New Zealand on April 7 and 11, respectively, as part of their preparations for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. 

The Super Falcons will take on World Cup debutants Haiti on Friday before the game against New Zealand four days later, with both matches taking place in Turkey at the Mardan Sports Complex. 

Super Falcons coach Randy Waldrum called up 23 players for the two games, with camp officially opening on Tuesday. 

About nine players are already in camp but there is no sight of the team’s superstar Asisat Oshoala. 

Oshoala has not played for Nigeria since the 2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco last year. 

The Barcelona star missed Nigeria’s Revelation Cup campaign in Mexico last February, pulling out of the squad due to injury. 

However, while Waldrum is still expecting Oshoala for the two games against Haiti and New Zealand, the team’s captain Onome Ebi and Halimatu Ayinde are already in camp. 

Other players in camp include Yewande Balogun, Regina Otu, Esther Okoronkwo, Etim Inyene, Abiodun Deborah, Vivian Ikechukwu, and Glory Ogbonna.

Waldrum will be in the dugout for the two games, but the American tactician has been working without pay for the last 14 months. 

Waldrum was appointed as Nigeria’s coach in October 2020, replacing Swedish tactician Thomas Dennerby. 

However, since his appointment, Waldrum has only received two months of pay from the NFF and has not been paid since last year. 

According to BBC Osasu Obayiuwana, the NFF owes Waldrum 14 months of unpaid wages, meaning he has not been paid since February 2022. 

The situation is the same with Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro, who is being owed a backlog of salaries by the NFF. 

However, despite the disappointing situation, both managers are still carrying on with their job on a day-to-day basis.