Nigeria's first world cup Coach Dutch Man Clemens Westerhof has said that even though he is now in Holland he is still been having dreams of the Super Eagles doing well in far away Brazil.
He said: “I sleep and in the middle of the night I wake up. They ask me what is the matter and Isay I have just dreamt of Nigeria doing well in the World Cup in Brazil.”
Super Eagles Coach Stephen Keshi had Captained Westerhof's Super Eagles 1994 team to African Cup success and an Impressive world cup outing in the same year and he said:“Westerhof could make you play like Pele.
Nigeria placed 5th after the world cup in 1994 in the FIFA ranking.
Westerhof also advised Keshi to imbibe the current team with high discipline and professionalism as these are the key to an impressive outing.
He said:“Nigeria can be among the last four in the World Cup and the time for this is now.
I dream that this is Nigeria’s time and I want Keshi to make the team a family so that they can play for each other on and off the field, make discipline high so that nobody loses his head, make good preparation and select well. If it goes like this, Nigeria will be among the last four, I tell you.”
He spoke also of the recent friendly game against Mexico, praising Enyeama and Ejide: “You have fantastic goalkeepers. And I tell you, Nigeria have many players in Europe. Not all of them are known to Nigerians but there are many good ones. Keshi can do better than I did. He should. And he can. Nigeria can be among the last four.
You have many good players but they are silent. Ike Uche is good but he must be a team player. And the boy in Newcastle (Shola Ameobi) can be made strong and made to play behind the central attacker.
Emenike is strong. You must have a strong left footer like Amunike or Friday Elaho. You can make the players very fit, very strong and Oyibo is in trouble, I tell you. Then you ensure there’s strong discipline. I dream every time about Nigeria.
The time for Nigeria is now and I know that Keshi can do it. At Tunisia ’94 I told the government the cup is coming to Nigeria. And in Tunisia the foreign media came and I told them the cup is ours. I allowed the players to take a stroll and the media came to me and said what have you done to your players.
They are very confident and already walking like champions. I told them I made them believe so and that the cup is ours. Keshi must do same in Brazil. When we reached the final I called Amuneke and told him, listen, you will be the joker tomorrow. Are you ready to play? He said “yes, coach, I play with my heart out.
I told him you play tomorrow but don’t tell anybody yet. The final was his first match and he scored the two goals that gave us the cup. Sometimes you surprise everybody.
Sources: Vanguard
Nigeria placed 5th after the world cup in 1994 in the FIFA ranking.
Westerhof also advised Keshi to imbibe the current team with high discipline and professionalism as these are the key to an impressive outing.
He said:“Nigeria can be among the last four in the World Cup and the time for this is now.
I dream that this is Nigeria’s time and I want Keshi to make the team a family so that they can play for each other on and off the field, make discipline high so that nobody loses his head, make good preparation and select well. If it goes like this, Nigeria will be among the last four, I tell you.”
He spoke also of the recent friendly game against Mexico, praising Enyeama and Ejide: “You have fantastic goalkeepers. And I tell you, Nigeria have many players in Europe. Not all of them are known to Nigerians but there are many good ones. Keshi can do better than I did. He should. And he can. Nigeria can be among the last four.
You have many good players but they are silent. Ike Uche is good but he must be a team player. And the boy in Newcastle (Shola Ameobi) can be made strong and made to play behind the central attacker.
Emenike is strong. You must have a strong left footer like Amunike or Friday Elaho. You can make the players very fit, very strong and Oyibo is in trouble, I tell you. Then you ensure there’s strong discipline. I dream every time about Nigeria.
The time for Nigeria is now and I know that Keshi can do it. At Tunisia ’94 I told the government the cup is coming to Nigeria. And in Tunisia the foreign media came and I told them the cup is ours. I allowed the players to take a stroll and the media came to me and said what have you done to your players.
They are very confident and already walking like champions. I told them I made them believe so and that the cup is ours. Keshi must do same in Brazil. When we reached the final I called Amuneke and told him, listen, you will be the joker tomorrow. Are you ready to play? He said “yes, coach, I play with my heart out.
I told him you play tomorrow but don’t tell anybody yet. The final was his first match and he scored the two goals that gave us the cup. Sometimes you surprise everybody.
Sources: Vanguard
