Former Super Falcons’ Great Akide-Udoh Embraces Prospect Of Replacing Thomas Dennerby

Former African Champion and Nigeria’s heroine Mercy Akide-Udoh has welcomed the prospect of managing any of Nigeria’s female national teams.

Mercy revealed her interest in managing the country’s female national team in a Live Instagram chat with ACLSports’ journalist Fisayo Dairo.

“I try to make sure I take care of all the aspects. So I don’t mind whether it is the junior team or the Super Falcons, I am ready,” She said when asked about the cadre she would prefer working with. “I don’t care what level. If you want to be a good coach like I am, I can coach even a cripple, if you come to Virginia Beach (where she lives in USA) and ask for any female coach, they will call my name, that’s how good I am with both little kids, adults medium, whatever.”

The country’s senior female National team has been on the headlines for managerial fracas since the departure of Swedish Thomas Dennerby in 2019.

The team has been without a coach since, and Akide-Udoh who has represented the country on multiple occasions, having won the African Championship twice on home soil and in South Africa in quick succession believes she has the ability to handle the role.

The 44-year-old emerged top scorer in both tournaments as she led the country to a successful triumph.

Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president, Amaju Pinnick said last week in Lagos that the Super Falcons will be guided by a world-class coach as he prepares to make an appointment when football activities resume after the COVID-19 Pandemic.