Former Super Eagles coach, Clemens Westerhof, has declared that Nigeria might not qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia as long as Sunday Oliseh remains manager of the team.
The Dutch tactician who led Nigeria to her first ever World Cup appearance in 1994 revealed that the team hasn’t shown any level of improvement under Oliseh and risk missing out on the Mundial.
“I’m sorry, with Oliseh, the Super Eagles may not go to the World Cup in Russia,” Westerhof told Complete Sports.
“Swaziland is not the first match Super Eagles have played under Oliseh. There has not been any difference between their first game under him and the game with Swaziland,” he added.
Westerhof who oversaw the rise of Oliseh as a player however congratulated the team on their passage to the next phase of the competition.
But the 75-year-old remains saddened with the outcome of the game, stressing that a country like Nigeria shouldn’t struggle against Swaziland.
“Congratulations, you beat Swaziland 2-0 in the return leg match of the preliminary round of the qualifiers.
“But does that really call for celebration? Yes, there are no minnows in football but who are Swaziland to hold the Super Eagles to a goalless draw (in Swaziland)?
“The Super Eagles won 2-0 in (Port Harcourt) Nigeria but is it not a game the Super Eagles should be winning 6-0, 7-0 under normal circumstances?. What type of football do they play in Swaziland?”
Westerhof’s recent statement is not different from the sentiment he expressed when Oliseh was appointed Super Eagles coach.
“No, no, no, no that cannot be, he can’t be Super Eagles coach. Oliseh cannot do it, no, he can’t,” told Complete Sports in July.
“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.”
Westerhof handed Oliseh is Super Eagles debut in 1993 and led the country to a second African title in 1994.
