NFF signs Swede, Dennerby, to manage Super Falcons

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has signed a three year contract with Thomas Dennerby to coach the Super Falcons.

According to a statement by the federation on Thursday, Dennerby’s contract enables him to come along with an assistant, a fellow Swedish, Jorgen Peterson.

“The NFF decided to go for a coach of the calibre of Thomas Dennerby for three reasons: to sustain and enhance the Super Falcons’ dominance on the African scene; to take the Falcons and the other women teams to the next level of challenging for laurels at global competitions like the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup and; to generally lay the foundation for the real development of women’s football in our country,” said Shehu Dikko, NFF second vice president.

“Dennerby will live in Nigeria most of the time and support the other women teams whenever he has the time.

“The contract is until the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo in the initial, with the right for automatic renewal subject to meeting performance milestones as agreed.

“He will be in Nigeria very soon for the public unveiling.

“The NFF technical and development committee has already shortlisted three Nigerians to work with Messrs Dennerby and Petersson as assistant coaches and goalkeeper trainer.

“These three will resume work soon to start preparing the team for the upcoming WAFU Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire pending the resumption of Dennerby and Petersson.”

The three coaches who will work with Dennerby and Petersson will soon be announced.

Who is Thomas Dennerby?

Denerby spent nine years with Hammarby IF of Allsvesnkan and played in the European Cup in 1983 and 1985. He won 34 caps for Swedish junior teams between 1975 and 1981.

He coached the Swedish women’s senior team between 2005 and 2012, during which the team played at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, the 2007 and 2011 FIFA World Cup, winning bronze at the latter tournament.

He also served as youth coach for Stockholm FA and worked in various capacities for former club Hammarby between 1993 and 2001.

More recently, he did scouting and analysis for the Swedish FA at the 2013 and 2017 European championships, the 2016 Olympics and the 2015 FIFA women’s World Cup in Canada.