Super Falcons coach, Kadiri Ikhana 

By Olawale Ajimotokan

Super Falcons coach, Kadiri Ikhana has been given a number of goals that must be fulfilled as he officially penned a four-year contract with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Wednesday.

Ikhana was employed to revive the fortunes of the Falcons after the board of the NFF refused to renew the appointment of Uche Eucharia last year, after the Falcons crumbled by failing to reach the All Africa Games in Maputo and the Olympics Games in London.

NFF President Aminu Maigari, who read the tough expectations to Ikhana, said that he must return the Falcons to the peak of world football.

The standard targets to be met, according to Maigari, include victory at the Africa Women Championships that comes up later this year in Equatorial Guinea, victory at the All Africa Games in Brazzaville in 2015 as well as qualification for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada in 2015.

Though the Falcons have never ranked higher than 25 in the world since organised female football began in Nigeria in 1991, the board said that Ikhana must in the next four years improve in FIFA ranking to No 3 in the world.

Ikhana, a member of the Super Eagles team that won the Nations Cup for the first time in 1980, said he would like his result to speak for him as he would improve the stocks of the Falcons.

Nigeria is preparing to meet Zimbabwe for a two legged qualifier leading to this year’s Africa Women’s Championship.