Super Eagles’ most successful coach, Clemens Westerhof, is 85 years old today, 3 May 2022.  He is easily the most successful of all the 38 coaches who have handled the Nigerian national football team in 75 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.

Unlike now, when coaches 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 the runners-up position.

By also taking the Super Eagles to the runners-up position in the 1990 edition, he became the first manager 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 quarterfinals 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 an 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 get 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.

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President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ibrahim Musa Gusau has declared that late former Green Eagles’ captain ‘Chairman’ Christian Chukwuemeka Chukwu is a man that can never be forgotten.

Gusau spoke Friday afternoon in Enugu when a delegation from the NFF and FA Chairmen from the Southeast zone paid a condolence visit to Chukwu’s family. 

Gusau, who spoke through the NFF 1^st Vice President, Chief Felix Anyansi-Agwu, described Chukwu as a diligent and patriotic on-field leader who served the country with all his heart and mind, and every ounce of his energy.

“The late Chukwu gave his all for the country. He served Nigeria with all his heart, and he is a hero even in death. One thing is clear: Chukwu can never be forgotten, given how well he served the country and his achievements both as a player and as a coach,” Gusau stated.

The NFF President noted that the visit was not just a condolence visit but one the football-ruling body made to be informed, first-hand, plans being put in place by the family ahead of Chukwu’s burial, and for the family and the soccer house to be on the same page.

“We want to be on the same page with the family and know what plans they are putting in place. Chukwu is a hero and the NFF will participate fully in his burial,” Gusau assured.

Chukwu’s son, Emeka, while responding on behalf of the family, commended the NFF leadership for the visit, even as he disclosed that the family will soon make public the programme of the final burial rites for the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations-winning team captain and Most Valuable Player.

Also on the delegation were a Member of the NFF Executive Committee and Chairman of the Nigeria National League, George Aluo; Chairman of Enugu State Football Association,  Tony Ugwu; Imo State FA Chairman,  Ifeanyi Dike; and Anambra State FA Chairman, Chikelue Iloenyosi.

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One of the globally acclaimed footballers to have come from Nigeria is Austin Okocha, who is better known as ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha.

He belongs to the acclaimed Golden Generation of the Super Eagles, which dazzled the continent and the world from 1994 to 1996. Okocha was pivotal and a central performer in the squad.
  His illustrious career in the squad with which he made 68 appearances started on this day 32 years ago, on 2 May.

He made his first appearance for the Super Eagles in a World Cup qualifying duel with Côte d’Ivoire in Abidjan. Nigeria lost 2-1. Since then, Okocha has had 68 caps.

He remains one of Nigeria’s most iconic footballers as his fame cut across the continent.

At Eintracht Frankfurt, he remains one of the most revered players to have worn the German club’s colours, as the fans still have fond memories of him, even over two decades since his departure.

His skill with the ball was a beauty to behold. Even other accomplished players confessed they were inspired by Okocha’s skills.

From being a midfielder, he rose to become the captain of not just his English Premier League club, Bolton Wanderers, but also of the Super Eagles.

In March 2004, the legendary Brazilian football icon, Pelé, named him among the top 125 living footballers in the world. Significantly, only five players from Africa made the list.

    When he moved from Fenerbahçe of Turkey to 1998 French Cup winners, Paris St. Germain, at a record transfer fee of $17 million, the amount eclipsed the two most expensive transfers previously made in French soccer history, when Olympic Marseille paid $12.6 million each for Italian international Fabrizio Ravenelli and former Metz star, Robert Pires.

 Okocha’s sign-up was regarded as a bid to rebuild the club to recapture the French League. His languid skill and deceptive pace already made him a favourite among French fans who watched him play four World Cup matches. His creative spark was the most noticeable feature of the erratic Super Eagles at the France ’98 World Cup.

   Okocha’s career began at home while playing as a 16-year-old for Enugu Rangers. But a chance encounter whilst on holiday in Germany launched his international career. He tried out for a fourth division club, Borussia Neunkirchen, and they snapped him up.

   In 1992, Okocha began his ascent in the German league, joining first division club Eintracht Frankfurt and signing professional terms. It was at Frankfurt that he first began to excite German crowds with his dazzling dribbling skills and drew the attention of European agents.

  A £ 1 million move to Turkish outfit Fenerbahce was the result in 1996 and Okocha helped his new side to the league title in his first season, but just two seasons later he was on the move again in a staggering $17million switch to Paris St. Germain, making him the most expensive Nigerian footballer ever.

   After seeing out his contract with the French giants, Okocha was available on a free transfer – hence the rumoured £ 3.3 million-a-year wages he was reported to be demanding from Bolton Wanderers. It is testament to Sam Allardyce’s negotiation skills that he was able to convince the midfielder to drop his high demands and join the English Premier League outfit.

  At Bolton, he was like a cult hero. “Jay Jay Okocha – so good they named him twice” was a common chant by Bolton fans. This was the attitude of fans towards the gifted Nigerian after the skilful midfielder played the lead role in securing the Trotters’ Barclaycard Premiership status in his debut season at the club. The Nigerian helped Bolton to one of their most successful seasons ever during the 2003/04 campaign. For 131 years, Bolton Wanderers had wandered in the wilderness.

   The 2003/04 season was undoubtedly the best season the club ever had. Okocha was part of that historic moment. In the past, it was common to see Bolton Wanderers slipping into relegation almost every other season. Before Okocha arrived at the Reebok Stadium, Bolton Wanderers hardly ever spent three consecutive seasons in the top division.

   After a slow start to his Bolton career, Okocha came into his own in the second half of the season, thrilling crowds with his tricks and pleasing Sam Allardyce with his match-winning performances. Bolton’s Player of the Season had many memorable moments throughout the 2002/03 campaign, but his most important contribution was the winning goal against relegation rivals West Ham at the Reebok.

  As if to prove his talent, Okocha was honoured with the BBC’s African Player of the Year award for two consecutive seasons. The player who once featured for Nigeria at Mauritius ’93 African Youth Championship moved to SC Qatar at the close of the 2005/06 season.

  At the close of the 2006 season, he ranked next to Muda Lawal in the number of international appearances for Nigeria.

  The high point of his career was the scoring of the historical 1,000th goal of the African Cup of Nations.  This he did at Monastir, Tunisia, when he converted a penalty kick to put the scoreline at 2-0 in a 4-0 defeat of South Africa.

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