Former Super Eagles Coach Clemens Westerhof has identified discipline, dedication and determination as the three major reasons why Nigeria emerged the team to beat while he was at the helm in the national team.
The Dutchman who led Nigeria to the round of 16 of the World Cup for the first time in 1994 in USA added that the resolve of the players to make their nation proud was not only infectious but was indeed worthy of emulation.
“My players were dedicated and determined to make their country proud and I must say I was and still remain proud of what we were able to achieve,” he enthused.
An elated Westerhof who bared his mind while receiving a letter of allocation of a house from Minister of Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola in fulfillment of government promise of a house to all members of the 1994 World Cup squad, said it was a thing of joy to see the promise fulfilled despite coming 25 years after the wave making achievement was recorded.
While thanking the Federal Government for fulfilling the promise the former Zimbabwe handler wished the country and the national team better days and achievement in future.
He however did not fail to pray for the repose of the soul of his boys who had joined their ancestors.
Prominent among those who made Westerhof’s 1994 squad tick was late Rashidi Yekini who scored the country’s first world cup goal and whose mode of celebration of the said goal against Bulgaria has remained a must mention whenever the world cup is being reviewed.
One of the major achievements of the Westerhof era was Nigeria’s upward move on the FIFA ranking from the 79th position to breathtaking 5th in the world coming only behind Brazil, Germany Norway and Switzerland while overtaking top football nations like Denmark, Spain, Netherlands, Sweden and Argentina. (The Nation)
