Nigerian Football
Hunter of Nigerian local talents, Clemens Westerhof is 83 today
BY KUNLE SOLAJA
If there is any foreign coach Nigeria ever employed since the days of late Yugoslavian, Tihomir “Tiko” Jelisavčić who gave considerable attention to domestic players, he is Clemens Westerhof, a Dutch.
He is undoubtedly, Super Eagles’ most successful coach and he is 83 years old today 3 May 2023.
He raised to stardom, from the domestic league, the bulk of the talents that Nigeria paraded in the USA ‘94 – the Nigerian golden generation.
Name them – Finidi George, Rashidi Yekini, Daniel Amokachi and a host of others were literally picked from the Nigerian league and fine-tuned to the 18-carat gold that they became.
Unlike now when coaches, even the domestic ones, are afraid to line out home-based players in the national team, Westerhof called the bluff of foreign based players in 1990 and went to the Africa Cup of Nations with home based players and ended up in runners-up position.
Until Sunday 15 August 2021, he was the coach with the longest tenure with the Nigerian national team.
On that date which was 32 years since he was first employed in Nigeria in 1989, Westerhof was overtaken by Gernot Rohr.
Before that date two years ago, Westerhof had spent 1,787 days on the saddle till he walked away on 6 July 1994.
He was therefore Nigeria’s coach for four years, 10 months and 22 days, the longest ever until 16 August 2021 when the pendulum on longevity in the service to the Super Eagles shifted in favour of Gernot.
Westerhof is easily the most successful of all the 39 coaches that have handled the Nigerian national football team in 74 years.
The Dutch football manager who ventured into Africa through his engagement by Nigeria in 1989 qualified the Super Eagles for the World Cup for the first time and also won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1994, making him the first manager engaged by Nigeria to win the premier continental football competition outside the country.
By also taking the Super Eagles to the runners-up position in the 1990 edition, he became the first manger to win the top three positions of the Africa Cup of Nations having led the Super Eagles to the third position at the 1992 edition in Senegal.
He took the Super Eagles to the Round of 16 at their debut appearance at the World Cup in 1994 and was just 90 seconds short of taking the team to the quarter finals before Italy fought back and eventually won the dramatic encounter by two goals to one.
He left his position immediately after that and later took up appointment with Zimbabwe and Mamelodi Sundowns FC in South Africa.
Westerhof began his career as an assistant coach with Feyenoord Rotterdam in the Dutch Eredivisie. He also coached another Dutch side, Vitesse Arnhem.
His first official match with Nigeria was the August 27, 1989 World Cup qualifying match with Cameroon in Yaoundé.
Nigeria lost the match 1-0, failing to get at least a draw, which would have seen the Super Eagles getting to the last qualifying stage for the 1990 World Cup.
Before then, Westerhof was on the stands when Nigeria played two World Cup qualifiers against Gabon in Libreville and Angola in Lagos, the day Samuel Okwaraji died.
Nigerian Football
Nigerian women coaches conclude first module of CAF C-License course
![](https://www.sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/women-coaches.png)
A total of 30 women coaches have concluded the first of a three-module CAF C-License program in the Federal Capital, Abuja and are expected to commence a two-week internship with different teams in a few days.
Peopled largely by former Nigerian internationals and other serving coaches, the group was taken through a full week of rigorous classroom and practical sessions by a team of coach educators and resource persons, in a baptism of what the next two modules are likely to entail,
NFF Technical Director, Coach Augustine Eguavoen, told thenff.com that the first module has shown that the women coaches are actually desirous of learning.
“I am very much impressed with their attitude, mannerisms and conduct through the first module. They impressed everyone, and the coach educators also told me they were impressed, and are looking forward to having them back for the second and concluding modules.
“We are grateful for the leadership of the NFF for the support and encouragement for coach-education programmes all the time.”
The participants will return to Abuja for the second module that is scheduled for 12th – 20th August, after which they will go on another two-week internship, 23rd August – 4th September. The third module, which comes with examinations for the participants, will take place 9th – 19th September.
Dr. Terry Babatunde Eguaoje, NFF’s Head of Education, is among the coach educators’ team, which also includes Coaches Isah Ladan Bosso, Wemimo Olanrewaju and Lanrence Ndaks.
Among the 30 participants are former Super Falcons’ stars Precious Dede, Joy Jegede, Esther Michael, Maureen Eke, Otas Ogbonmwan, Vera Okolo, Cecilia Nku, Taiwo Ajobiewe, Gloria Ofoegbu and Amenze Aighewi. There are also Barr. Victoria Nlemigbo and retired FIFA referee Folusho Ajayi.
Nigerian Football
Osimhen’s outburst was a moment of madness, says Amaju
![](https://www.sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/finidi-and-osimhen.png)
Former Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President and a FIFA Council member, Amaju Pinnick has expressed shock at last month’s outburst by Super Eagles’ striker, Victor Osimhen against Finidi George.
“It is very unfortunate”, Amaju Pinnick remarked on an Arise Television programme. The former NFF president said he had put a call to Osimhen who was very remorseful while the telephone conversation lasted.
“I told him he has to apologise, and I am sure he will if he has not yet done so.” Amaju remarked that he could not comprehend what went wrong as Osimhen was the most cool-headed player in the national team.
He went on to remark that Finidi George was not a personality to be disregarded like that. He has won virtually every honour available during his playing days and was a member of the Super Eagles at their peak when Nigeria ranked fifth in the world.
“I believe players should learn to respect their coaches”, said the former NFF boss.
Nigerian Football
I prefer a foreign coach for the Super Eagles, says Amaju
![](https://www.sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/amaju-pinnick-1.png)
Nigeria’s FIFA Council member, Amaju Pinnick has told the world that he has always been an advocate of foreign coaches for the Super Eagles. He spoke on Arise Television while fielding questions with Reuben Abati, Rufai Oseni and Ayo Mairo-Ese.
His reason for being averse to indigenous coaches stemmed from lack of respect for them by the players.
“Yes, the Nigerian coaches have the requisite knowledge and the technical ability, but modern football is beyond that in managing players.
“Will the national team players respect the coach? The sad thing is that they don’t”, said Amaju Pinnick.
He however revealed that he supported the appointment of Finidi George owing to the circumstances that the NFF found itself after the exit of Jose Peseiro.
The NFF, he revealed, had no money to hire a foreign coach. The body therefore went for the most available option, Finidi to ensure a smooth transition.
“Finidi was part of the coaching crew of Peseiro and it was therefore logical to ask him to continue.
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