Mercy Akide-Udoh branched into coaching at college level in the United States after retiring from active football. A terror to defences during her playing days as a striker for the Nigerian Super Falcons, Akide combined pace and sheer physical power to bulldoze her way past defenders. In this interview with Soccer Laduma's Thomas Kwenaite, she reveals how former Banyana Banyana winger Veronica Phewa used to give the Super Falcons sleepless nights, how current Banyana coach Desiree Ellis used to be influential for the South African national team, how the late former Super Eagles striker Rashidi Yekini influenced her, and how the two African countries – Nigeria and Zambia – have a mountain to climb at this year's Olympic Games in Paris.
Thomas Kwenaite: Hi, Mercy. Congratulations to the Super Falcons for qualifying for Olympics. What was your take on their performance against Banyana Banyana?
Mercy Akide Udoh: Qualifying for the Olympics has always been a struggle for the Super Falcons. When we played during my time, we had some really tough games against Ghana and even South Africa. This team was under even more pressure because they had not qualified for the Olympic Games since 2008, and they had also not done very well at the WAFCON by their own high standards. I am really proud of them for the way they came through.
TK: They have been thrown into a very tough group consisting of Spain, Japan and Brazil. How do they get out of such a group?
MAU: They have to believe in themselves more, work hard, play hard and listen to advice from their coaches. We saw what they did at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. That is a warning to other teams that they will get it tough when they play against the Super Falcons.
TK: The other qualified African team is Zambia, and they are grouped with USA, Germany and Australia, another group of hell for Africa.
MAU: It is the same thing at this level. They have to believe in themselves and their abilities. They do have some very good players, like Barbara Banda and Rachel Kundananji, who are proving themselves in the big leagues. They need to go in with confidence and show the world that they are no pushovers.
TK: Asisat Oshoala left Barcelona and is now playing for Bay FC in the USA. Have you had time to chat with her?
MAU: I met up with her in her second game when her team came to play Washington Spirit. I went to watch her play and to support her, and we had a quick conversation after the game. I was the first player from Africa to play professional football abroad and the WUSA League in the USA at that time was the world's only professional league. So, in a way, as someone who opened that door, I am happy to see others like her follow in those footsteps. I am proud of her and what she has done in her career. And I think that it is a full-circle moment to see her also come to the USA where it all started.
TK: What are your views regarding the increase in the number of female teams in the WAFCON from eight to 12?
MAU: I think it is a good thing. We want to see more players getting exposure at the highest level, and the more teams you have in the tournament, the more players you will see. There are some really good players who may not be seen just because their country cannot qualify. And there will also be a mushroom effect. As more teams take part, they get more experience and with that experience, they can get stronger and challenge the likes of Nigeria, Cameroon, South Africa and Ghana.
TK: Do you think participating teams at the Olympics should also be increased, maybe from the present 12 to 24?
MAU: Why not? The more teams we see, the more motivation countries will have to fund and support women's football, especially in Africa. Like right now, it is a shame that South Africa cannot qualify for the Olympics, or Ghana or even Cameroon. We need to have more good teams competing and representing Africa at these global tournaments.
TK: Is women's football progressing as you expected in Africa, or you believe more should be done?
MAU: My answer would be yes and yes. Women's football is progressing. Maybe not as fast as I would have expected it to, but over the past few years, a lot of progress has been made. However, that progress is still very far behind the rest of the world. We need to see more being done. We need better funding, better exposure, improved leagues, improved welfare, equal pay, equal treatment. I think it is ridiculous that while the men's teams get five-star hotels, fly on chartered flights and get big bonuses, the women's teams are still being treated almost like amateurs.
TK: What's Mercy Akide-Udoh been doing since retirement?
MAU: I have been coaching. I coached a couple of years at college level with Regent University. Right now, I am with Steel United, where I am a director, coaching players all the way up to college level. In the next few months, I am launching a programme to help young talented girls earn scholarships to US colleges, which will see them improve not only their football and life skills, but also arm them with world-class education that they can use to turn their lives around. I was the first African woman to come from Africa to attend college in the USA as a football player on a soccer scholarship, so I want to help others do the same too.
TK: What is your coaching philosophy, and which system do you like to employ?
MAU: I like to see my teams play with the ball, keeping possession and attacking with pace. But I also want them to be disciplined in defence too. I like to play the 4-3-3 formation, but I am also flexible when it comes to systems and formations.
TK: During your playing days, who was your most difficult opponent?
MAU: Hahahaha… well, the Ghana team used to be our biggest rivals and they were always very tough. If you remember, they were the first team in the history of women's football in Africa to beat the Super Falcons.
TK: Of the Banyana players during your playing days, are there any who used to stand out?
MAU: I remember this kid with a very sweet and strong left foot. I think her name was Veronica (Phewa). We had to watch her very closely every time we played South Africa because she could be very dangerous any minute. And then there was also Desiree (Ellis), who was always very busy and influential coming in from the inside.
TK: The duels between Nigeria and Banyana are close affairs these days. What do you think has happened for the current crop to have closed the gap on Nigeria?
MAU: I think Banyana have been working hard to close the gap. Even when we played them, it is not like it was always easy, even though they could never beat us back then. But they have been bringing more young players in, and they have improved quite a lot. Also, I think that playing these regional competitions like the COSAFA regularly has helped to make them sharper and discover younger players that they integrate into the team.
TK: Have you ever considered coaching the Super Falcons?
MAU: Why not? But there is still a lot that needs to be done to get there. I cannot work without a contract. I remember many years ago, I got a call from someone in the NFF (Nigeria Football Federation) asking if I would like to coach the team. I told the person that I would be happy to, but they should set a time for us to discuss contract terms, or send a proposed contract that I can review. I never heard back from them. I cannot put myself in a position where I am owed money or something else, and I do not have a written agreement that I can fall back on to protect myself. So would I like to coach the national team? Of course! I believe I can coach the Super Falcons, as well as the Super Eagles too. But the conditions must be right!
TK: There is a view that female clubs or national teams should be coached by females… your opinion on this?
MAU: I can understand both sides of that argument. We want the best coaches to coach our teams, whether they are men or women. But at the same time, we have a lot of competent women who can do the job on merit and they deserve a chance. Men have been doing that for so long, and as much as I hate to say it, there has been all manner of abuse, including sexual assault against players. I have former teammates who cannot stand some former coaches because of what they subjected them to, but that is their story to tell, not mine. What I can promise you is that, one day, African women's footballers will speak about the disgusting things that happened to them in the game by predatory men, both coaches and administrators. When they do, some so-called respected coaches and administrators will have to hide their faces in shame, if not even go to jail. But back to the question, yes, I think we have enough women with the skills and competence to take charge of women's games and not just coaches. I am talking about administrators, club officials, referees, everything.
TK: Banyana are coached by former player Ellis, and they have not done badly since her appointment. Do you think female coaches hardly ever get the breaks?
MAU: That is true. Desiree has proved that women can do the job and she is one of those I am speaking about. Even my former teammate Florence (Omagbemi) coached the Super Falcons to win the WAFCON, and what was her reward? They fired her. We need African FAs to believe in women's coaches. Right now, given the right circumstances, I can take the smallest African team, and coach them to surprise people at the WAFCON.
TK: Do you think professional football for females will ever become a reality in Africa during our lifetime?
MAU: It already is. Nigeria has been running a professional league since women's football started. The only problem is that it is professional in name only. The wages are terrible, the welfare is bad, the players are treated like crap. Thank God, the last two boards have had strong women like Aisha Falode and Nkechi Obi there now to start to put things together and get it working. It is step by step. I think we need the support of not just the federation, but corporates in Africa to believe in the power of women's football and make it work. Look at what is happening in women's college basketball in the USA this past year. The women's final got record TV viewership, even more than some NBA games and much more than the men's college basketball tournament. We need to find that sort of catalyst in our game, but women's football is growing and Africa cannot be left behind.
TK: Do you think women's football is getting the support it deserves from African federations?
MAU: I don't think so. They are paying lip service. When they really start to support women's football, we will all know and it will be obvious.
TK: What do you think of Zambian Racheal Kundananji, who has become the most expensive female player in the world following her transfer to Bay FC?
MAU: I think it is great! It shows that African women's football is growing. But at the same time, it is also sad when you consider that that fee is less than some average men's players get.
TK: What do you think contributed to you winning the first CAF Female Footballer of the Year award?
MAU: I was playing the best football at that time. With my teammates behind me, I was scoring goals and we did well at the AWC (African Women Championship) in 1998 and then the World Cup in 1999, and I was also nominated by FIFA in the Top 10 of the Women's Footballer of the Year, and then I also scored a lot of goals at my college which got me a professional contract with the San Diego Spirit. So, CAF decided to create that award in 1999 and I became the first to win it. I remember flying to Johannesburg, where the awards ceremony was held, and I met (Nwankwo) Kanu there because he also won the 1999 African Player of the Year too. We even took pictures together. It was the first time we had two players from the same country winning both the men's and the women's award. That is why I cannot understand why CAF keep saying I won my award in 2001. I won the award in 1999 and I held it until Alberta Sackey won it in 2002 after the African Women's Championships in Warri.
TK: You are a Milligan University Hall of Famer. How did it feel when you were inducted?
MAU: I felt great. There is nothing more special than being recognised for your accomplishments and it was a proud moment for me. I am also in the USL Hall of Fame. When the WUSA League folded, the USL W-League was the only other league in the country and I helped my team win the title. It felt good to be recognised. So that is two Hall of Fame awards I have.
TK: Who has been your most favourite player, and why?
MAU: For me, former Super Eagles striker Rashidi Yekini was my favourite player. I liked the way he was always ruthless about scoring goals, and I tried to be like him and styled my performance around what he was doing.
TK: Thank you very much Mercy, and best of luck.
MAU: The pleasure was mine
