FIFA Women’s World Cup: Oramah Hails Super Falcons, Pleads More Support For Female Football
The Chairman of Oramah Football Academy, Dr. Pat Ifeanyi Oramah has urged the Federal Government to give more encouragements to sports academies in Nigeria and channel more resources towards nurturing young talents and creating a robust pipeline for future athletes.
Speaking with newsmen on the state of sports development in Nigeria, Friday in Abuja, the seasoned sports enthusiast and administrator commended the amazing performance of the Super Falcons, in the ongoing 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, and emphasized the importance of sustained investment in grassroots football development.
Dr. Oramah expressed his warm admiration for the Super Falcons’ dedication discipline and impressive soccer artistry displayed in all their matches in the global championship stating that their commitment and resilience, underscore the need for continuous support and encouragement for the team.
He lauded the players’ determination as an inspiration for young aspiring athletes across the country adding that their topnotch performance has confirmed that Nigeria has indeed grown tremendously in sports, particularly female soccer.
While emphasizing the need for the provision of better training infrastructure for sports in Nigeria, Oramah said that the team and other sporting teams in Nigeria would perform better if they are regularly exposed to modern training equipment and tactics in all departments of their games.
Analyzing the Super Falcons’ ouster match against England, the Oramah Sports Academy boss said : “evidently, the English team has better training facilities and exposure as manifested by their self-possession and resilience when they were one player down. Again they were well composed during the penalty shootout”
“There is therefore the need for the government to provide better training facilities and encourage grassroots sports development where more raw talents would be discovered for seamless growth of female soccer in the country. Government should encourage football academies to start early to commence progressive development of the youths in our localities.
On his own, the Oramah Academy Chairman disclosed that the superlative performance of the Super Falcons has further spurred him to commit more resources to the development of female soccer saying that his institution would henceforth play more emphasis on female soccer in all its activities.
Drawing from his extensive experience in sports and football development, Dr. Oramah reiterated the need for gender equality in sports and advocated for equal opportunities and recognition for female athletes.
He advocated for an ecosystem of mentorship, holistic training, and a nurturing environment that not only refines athletic skills but also cultivates life skills, resilience, and camaraderie. Thus, he called on the handlers of the Super Falcons and sports managers at all levels to always do their best.
Nigeria was drawn in group B alongside Canada, Australia, and the Republic of Ireland. Nigeria drew 1-1 in the opening game against Canada, won 3-2 against Australia, and secured a 0-0 draw against the Republic of Ireland to qualify as the runner-up.
The Super Falcons of Nigeria gallantly bowed out of the world championship after losing 4-2 on penalties to the Lionesses of England following a 0-0 draw in full and extra time of 120 minutes
