The veteran Dutch gaffer inspired the national team to unprecedented heights in the early nineties, and he is haggling for a return, according to reports.
While the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and Gernot Rohr continue their cat-and-mouse game over a new contract, former Super Eagles coach Clemens Westerhoff has indicated his interest in returning to the seat he vacated 26 years ago, an official of the football body revealed to The Guardian.
Westerhoff took over the handling of the Nigerian national team in 1989, and he soon after led the team to the final of the 1990 African Cup of Nations, where they lost 1–0 to the host nation Algeria.
Four years later, still under his watch, the Super Eagles were crowned African champions for the second time in history and were on their way to their debut appearance at the FIFA World Cup.
The former Feyenoord manager vacated his post shortly after that tournament, but a top official of the NFF confirmed that the 79-year-old tactician signified his interest to return to the Super Eagles a few days ago.
“Can you believe that Westerhof called that he wants to return to the Super Eagles as technical adviser? “He said he would come with a youth coach,” the unnamed source told the Guardian.
“But the question I asked him was ‘on what basis will the NFF appoint him as coach of the Super Eagles after how many years he left the team.
“Everybody wants to coach the Super Eagles because there are several people pushing their case in Nigeria. That won't happen.”
