Super Eagles Players Can't Respect Little Experienced Oliseh - Clemens Westerhof

Former Nigeria technical adviser Clemens Westerhof thinks the Nigeria Football Federation is making a huge mistake by handing untested Sunday Oliseh the job of the national team manager.

Oliseh, 40, was handed his Super Eagles debut by Westerhof in 1993 and the Dutchman feels that his former protégé has not gotten the requisite experience to handle such a difficult side with lots of egotistic players.

The former Borussia Dortmund and Ajax midfielder has only ever managed a third division Belgian side Vervietois as well as worked as TV pundit and a member of the Fifa Technical Study Group for the 2014 World Cup.


“No, no, no, no that cannot be, he can’t be Super Eagles coach. Oliseh cannot do it, no, he can’t,” Westerhof was animated as he told Complete Sports.

“If the Nigeria Football Federation is bringing Oliseh to handle the Super Eagles, then that is too bad because it is not right. It is not proper, he is not the right man for the job.”

The 75-year-old, who led the Super Eagles to their second African title in 1994, then reeled off the work experience he and recently sacked Stephen Keshi earned before being handed the Nigeria top job.

“Before I took over the Super Eagles in 1989, I was head coach of Feyenoord and we were champions after many years. I coached other top teams in the first division, Vitesse, MVV and came back to Vitesse again.

“Keshi was a top quality player in Belgium with Lokeren, Anderlecht, RC Strasbourg in France, Sacramento Scorpions and all that. He coached several other teams including Togo and Mali.

“Where did Oliseh coach? What is his coaching experience? Do you want to start learning how to coach with the senior national team,” he asked.

Westerhof also detailed the kind of problems likely to be faced by the new coach in the face of player egos.

“Coaching amateur teams is not enough to get experience of handling top teams like the Super Eagles. Players cannot respect him, you know, he cannot command their respect and influence as they loved and respected me, as they also respected and loved Keshi,” he said.

“What the players of the Super Eagles need is a coach who the players will love to respect, who has positive influence on the players and I don’t think Oliseh has these qualities,” Westerhof said.

Oliseh is expected to be unveiled on Tuesday in Abuja with a five-year contract that would see him set about bringing a blueprint for the development of Nigerian football.