Former manager of the national team Clemens Westerhof clocked 86 yesterday and to mark the milestone, the ‘DutchNigerian’ was surrounded by his wife Lilian, two daughters and his long time friend Fofana at his country home in Holland.
Westerhof was also in touch with his Nigerian friends, one of whom is the Weekend Editor of Vanguard Newspapers Onochie Anibeze with whom he connected via conference call.
During the lengthy video chat, Westerhof was asked by his wife Lilian to make a birthday wish.
The man who qualified Nigeria for her first World Cup said, “I am 86 today, I wish to be 100.”
Clemens Westerhof is regarded as Nigeria’s most successful coach of the national team. After winning a runners up medal at Algiers 90 AFCON, the Dutch took the team to win the 1994 AFCON in Tunisia and qualify for the FIFA World Cup the same year.
The Super Eagles under Clemens Westerhof were ranked the 5th best national team in the world, the highest ranking ever attained by an African team to date.
