Former Nigeria coach, Dutchman Clemens Westerhof, says the Super Eagles have convinced him they possess the quality needed to fight and win the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, Completesports.com reports.
Westerhof, who earlier labelled the team’s 2-0 defeat to the Barea of Madagascar in their last Group B match as ‘Shameful’, could not hide his excitement Monday while speaking to Completesports.com on phone from his the Netherlands base, saying the Gernot Rohr’s men made him proud with an impressive performance in the 3-2 thumping of the Indomitable Lions in a Round of 16 match Saturday in Alexandria.
“Yes, I watched the match. I’ve watched all the the Super Eagles’ games. And I’m proud of the players after the game against Cameroon,” Westerhof told Completesports.com in a very pleasant tone.
“They have convinced me they can win the cup, yes. If they continue this way, semifinal, final and the cup is in Nigeria.”
Asked to give reasons for his shrewd optimism, Westerhof explains that, against Cameroon, he saw a Super Eagles team that exhibited the true mentality that Nigerian national team is known for.
“On Saturday, yes, the mentality was good. The spirit was good and if they continue that way in the remaining games, they will win the cup.”
Super Eagles will on Wednesday in Cairo confront the Bafana Bafana in one of the quarterfinal games.
It will be Nigeria’s 14th clash against South Africa since 1992 and a winner will bag a semifinal spot.
South Africa pulled the chestnut from the fire with a Shock defeat of the AFCON 2019 hosts, Pharaoh’s of Egypt on Sunday to set up a quarterfinal confrontation against Nigeria.
Westerhof reasons that at this point, South Africa will not stop the Super Eagles if the Gernot Rohr’s men replicate the performance they put up against Indomitable Lions of Cameroon.
“South Africa was good against Egypt, but against Super Eagles, no.
Super Eagles, with good players, experience, good spirit and great mentality fwill win,” Westerhof stated.
Sab Osuji
(pix: by Ganiyu Yusuf in Alexandria)
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COMMENTS
Change of tune. I have come to understand life even myself that when you fail people will crucify you and when you pass even if it takes hundred years same people will hail you. That is we should all remain grounded! This same Westernhof critized eagles just like others and now they are praising them. Let’s just hope the critics is what is the driving force to victory.
Why not if not !!..If nobody criticizes you , then you no body !!.Westerhof is on point , against Madagascar are they not shameful/awful but now they have realized their mistakes and up their game and rightfully they got the right praise!!..such is life !
Should Gernot Rohr Be Sacked Even If The Super Eagles Win AFCON 2019?
The Nigeria manager has led his side to the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations, after overseeing the country’s group stage ouster at the 2018 World Cup but the debate rages on about his future.
The Super Eagles’ next challenge is against South Africa for a spot in the semi-final of the Nations Cup but should the manager retain his post if he is able to overcome the Bafana Bafana and even go on to win the trophy?
Rohr is a good manager.
He would do a fantastic job for countries like Kenya, Benin and Zimbabwe that have no intention of winning the Afcon, much less the World Cup in the foreseeable future. He might even do well with Nigeria during those dark days when we ran a bit dry on young, talented players.
But, not now especially at the dawn of the country’s next golden generation. Nigeria’s present team is brimming with youth, vitality and talent.
They are fast, athletic and skilful. Only five members of the 23-man squad to Egypt are exactly or above the age of 30: Leon Balogun, Ikechukwu Ezenwa, John Obi Mikel, Daniel Akpeyi, and John Ogu.
Yes, their experience is invaluable to the team but none of those are irreplaceable if they quit football today. The last time the Nigerian national football team elicited such promise and excitement in their fans was in 1992, prior to the African Cup of Nations.
The squad that Clemens Westerhof took to Senegal ’92 included Ajibade Babalade and Victor Ikpeba, both of them were teenagers. Not one single member of his 22-man squad was above 30.
They laid the foundation of that wonderful team that went on to rule Africa in 1994 and threatened to conquer the world at the Mundial. We are at a similar moment in history and Rohr is not competent enough to take us forward.
Why?
The German has lost connection with that young ‘Manager Rohr’ who famously guided an aggressive, attack-conscious Girondins de Bordeaux to the 1996 UEFA Cup Final only losing to Bayern Munich over two legs.
Now his teams acquire a dull, uninspiring tempo that forces them to react only when their backs are to the wall.
His ideas are not productive which tends to make his teams dull, defensive and reactive. It can be counted on the fingers of one hand the number of games the Super Eagles have played brilliantly under Rohr.
Rohr has also never impressed in terms of match planning and in-game reading.
His team has not been able to play as a unit either defensively or offensively. He makes changes late into the game when it is almost pointless, even when the team’s lapses are obvious even to the blind. That is a testament that he gets overwhelmed by matches.
He is currently in charge of the most talented team he has ever managed in Africa, yet he appeared satisfied with a defeat to Madagascar. That was the first time ever that the Malagasy, ranked 108 by FIFA, has defeated Nigeria. No team that low-ranked had ever gotten the better of Nigeria’s senior side in any competition.
Until Gernot Rohr happened.
Lest we forget, he was also the first manager of the Super Eagles to lose to South Africa.
After three years of being with the Super Eagles, he ought to be at the verge of giving Nigerians a Super Eagles that is feared by every African nation.
It is not impossible. Westerhoff did it.
Nigeria needs a manager like Herve Renard.
The Frenchman has guided both Ivory Coast and Zambia to become African champions, the first coach to win two Africa Cup of Nations titles with two different countries. He is a winner.
He is the current manager of Morocco. All the sides he has managed play with heart, have guts and seek to dominate opponents. Morocco may have lost to Benin but it was down to luck. They played better than Nigeria played in all our three group games at Afcon 2019. If we lost to South Africa playing as Morocco played against Benin, it will be a bearable hurt for most Nigerian fans.
But we all know how that game will pan out. Just like the Indomitable Lions, the Bafana Bafana will be fitter, faster and sharper on the ball. Off the ball, they will be more coordinated, better organized and potently dangerous. Everything the Super Eagles will run short on.
In fairness, Gernot has not done poorly. I noted that earlier. But he could have done better.
He took over a team that failed to qualify for two consecutive Afcons and turned its fortunes around. But that is why he gets paid fairly well. He helped the team qualify for the 2018 World Cup. Amodu and Keshi did it. No big deal.
While it is true that Rohr has produced some decent results in spite of working in less than suitable conditions such as bonus wrangling, poor infrastructure and administrative issues, they are perennial problems in Nigeria and should still be doing better with the potentials in the team.
Gernot Rohr has done his best but the Super Eagles deserve a better gaffer. If Cameroon could hire Seedorf and Kluivert, it is high time Nigeria aimed above “carpenter” coaches.
Herve Renard?
And after Renard’s win wat next?
Renard is a quick remedy, he builds no future for a team. Please leave Rohr for us, he is steady and focus. If u don’t like him, it is not too late for u dat knows too much to start a coaching career! Malakapi!
Look at this pathetic lair…pls wipe the sides of your mouth….yes..both side. Thank you. That was your lies you just wipped off.
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Lie No 1
“His ideas are not productive which tends to make his teams dull, defensive and reactive”
……..Out of 32 matches…..the SE under rohr has conceeded 1st in only 8 matches. That means his teams score first in 75% of all his matches….pls how does that make the reactive…???…Out of the 8 in which the conceeded 1st, theyve come back and either drawn or won the game 4 times, ie 50% of the times they conceed first, the end up rallying back. His team has score 46 goals in his 31 matches in charge…an average of 1.5 goals per game….pls how is that a defensive team…? His team has scored 2 or more goals in 13 matches 42% of the times, score 3 goals in 8 matches and 4 goals in 3 matches all out of 31 matches….pls how is that a dull, defensive and reactive team…???
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Lie No 2
“It can be counted on the fingers of one hand the number of games the Super Eagles have played brilliantly under Rohr.”
…..like i said earlier…the SE under Rohr has score 2 or more goals in a match in over 13 matches….I dont think even gorillas have 13 fingers on one hand.
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Lie no 3
“The last time the Nigerian national football team elicited such promise and excitement in their fans was in 1992”
……So our 2000, 2002 and 2010 teams didnt elicit any promise right…? The teams that had Ike shorunmu, Furo Iyenemi, Taribo West, Gbenga Okunnowo, Celestine babayaro, Sunday oliseh, Finidi george, Jay-jay Okocha, Kanu Nwankwo, Julius Aghahwa, Dan Amokachi, Emma Amuneke, Ben Akwuegbu etc and the teams that had Vincent Enyeama, Joseph Jobo, Efe Abmbrose, Taiye Taiwo, Chidi Odiah,Dan Shittu, Dikson Etuhu, Mikel Obi, Obinna NSofor, Osaze Odemwingie, Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Obasi Ogbuke, the Uche brothes etc must be less talented and lacking in promise compared to this current team.
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Lie No 4
“Lest we forget, he was also the first manager of the Super Eagles to lose to South Africa”
……Its like electricity had not reached you village in November 2004 when we lost 1-2 at the Ellis park stadium. Maybe Rohr was coach then.
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Lie No 5
“After three years of being with the Super Eagles, he ought to be at the verge of giving Nigerians a Super Eagles that is feared by every African nation.”
….If a team that has lost only 2ce on the continent out of 25 matches with 17 wins in 3 years, (defeating current AFCON defending champions 2 times, past champions Zambia home and away, star-studed Algeria and so on) are not feared….I wonder who else would be feared .
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Lie no 6
“They played better than Nigeria played at Afcon 2019″
Morocco needed a 90th minute own goal to over come Namibia, a 90th min goal to defeat SA, defeated CIV by same margin and are now resting in Rabat or Casablanca bcos they couldn’t even make it past Benin in the R16 while the super eagles are no primed to scale past SA into the semi finals of the same AFCON competition. Even a fool will agree with me that he who laugh lasts has the best laugh.
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Lie 7
” If we lost to South Africa playing as Morocco played against Benin, it will be a bearable hurt for most Nigerian fans.”
I put it to you that you are a bold face lair and hypocrite and that you will be one of the 1st to a large lot who has been calling for the head of this coach even when his results are shouting loud for every sensible person to hear. If you can write this kind of a damning write up against a coach who ranks as the 2nd all time in number of wins achieved with the SE with nearly a 60% win ratio…imagine what you will do if he lost. The westerhof you so eulogized built a team over 5 years and only won an AFCON his 3rd attempt….yet you write such hate filled article about another coach who his in the middle of his first attempt at the AFCON title with the SE. You claimed the 1992 set was young and held promise…so why did they come back home with only a bronze from a 12 team tournament. At the 1992 afcon, your 5th match would be either the final macth or the 3rd place match. This eagles will be playing their 5th match against SA on Wednesday….it is equivalent of the Final match of the 1992 version of the AFCON….on this metrics alone, they have done beyond what you exciting 1992 team was able to do
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Lie no 8
“But we all know how that game will pan out. Just like the Indomitable Lions, the Bafana Bafana will be fitter, faster and sharper on the ball. Off the ball, they will be more coordinated, better organized and potently dangerous. Everything the Super Eagles will run short on”
……so pls where is your fitter, faster, and sharper on the ball Cameroon now…? and where is the less coordinated, worse organized and tamely domestic SE…! Let me remind you….The better cameroon have been dethroned and their players should have returned to pre-season with their european clubs by now while your weak SE are marching on to Cairo to devour their next opponents.
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“If Cameroon could hire Seedorf and Kluivert, it is high time Nigeria aimed above ‘carpenter’ coaches.”
…..I would have been daft to think you were drunk while writing this piece…..but your double speak doesn’t prove me wrong….cos its either you are saying Seedorf and Kluivert are carpenter coaches or that the same coach whom you eulogized for leading Bordeaux to the summit of European club football in 1996 with a bandstorming attacking display and has after that gone ahead to win the swiss cup and led Gabon to their best placing ever in AFCON ( a q/final penalty shoot out loss) and has lost just 2 out of 25 matches to and african country as SE coach is a carpenter coach.
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I know there is a serious media campaign being currently against Rohr to get him sacked, similar to what they did against keshi circa 2013 before God put them all to shame by helping keshi to lift the AFCON trophy against all odds. Obviously Rohr has blocked the corrupt route of some top dogs form NFF who double as player agents and always force their clients on national team coaches. We also have some of them too on this forum…but rohr has duly been serving them the middle finger for years now. No wonder for the 1st time in decades, we have a 23 man squad that has a bench that is as strong as the 1st 11……but guess what…statistics do not lie.
Lies can be on the run for decades, the truth only catches up within a day.
Just like God glorifies Keshi in 2013, we will continue to support Rohr with our prayers and hope God will also glorify him too with the AFCON crown.
If I were Rohr…If i win the AFCON this 2019…I will hand in my resignation the way keshi did after winning in 2013. Keshi’s biggest mistake, even in death, was rescinding that decision.
*….score/scored….no/now…..laugh/laughs…..you/your…..sponsored media campaign being currently sponsored against Rohr……form/from….glorifies/glorified*
CSN….pls help us with an edit button now…? Haba…!!!
@Dr.Drey and Steve. Thank you very much. You nailed the truth and the fact on the weeping haters and confirmed enemies of progress. Yeye de smell.
Drey u too much abeg. From where u dy get all the stats, Biko?? Nice one bro! Finish them with facts.
Wow, amazing facts!
The Super Eagles should just win to silent the Bafana Bafana and all rockets full of criticisms. Amen!
It was not easy sir, the eagles played their heart out. up eagles
South Africa play very tactical and organised football and seem to be recently growing in confidence whenever they meet the Super Eagles of Nigeria
Its a game that has a lot of bragging rights attached to it and the Eagles will have to be focussed, play with great spirit and determination. South Africans will hurt us if we give them too much time and space. These boys don’t need to play relaxed but need to fight for the first and the second balls.
Nigeria’s super eagles are favorites but if they underrate the Bafana Bafana, they will take the exit door in an embarrassing way
Thank you mr. Westerhof. You have done well. Only few people will understand Mr. Westerhof, Mr. Jo Bonfrere, Omo9ja, Mr. Odęgbami, Mr. Mobile Okparaku, Mr. Sodje and now Mr.Siasia.
That match against the Cameroon won my God and our reactions. It’s quite unfortunate that we have a coach that is not bold enough and this is going to be a big problem.
As a coach, you need to let your players understand that they have no choice, they have to beat South Africa on Wednesday. Can coach Rohr do that?
Here is what Mr. Siasia said.
Former Super Eagles coach, Samson Siasia has advised the Super Eagles to come out with their A-game against the Bafana Bafana of South Africa in order to have a chance to progress into the AFCON semi finals.
Siasia said that the present coach of the South African team has beaten Nigeria in Uyo and they might want to repeat that feat.
”The coach may tell his boys they have what it takes to beat Nigeria because they have done it before, we should not come out and look at them like ‘ hey! Else they will embarrass us.
”lndividually, we are better, but collectively they are better than us, we need to come out with our A game, the former Coach concluded.
”We can win South Africa but they have to play as a group, attack and defend well at the same time ” Siasia concluded.
What Mr. Sia1 said similar to what I said yesterday. Can you seeing what I’m seeing Nigerians?
With the caliber of players in that team, Nigeria should be fearless.
They have everything to beat Nigeria to be sincere with you guys.
They have a game plan which we don’t.
They have no respect for any team which we have.
They are bold, confident and they want to make name for themselves.
Bafana Bafana and Madagascar are not Super but they have something in common. What did they have in common? Determination.
Can we beat them yes. By God’s grace, yes we can. Even, as many goal as possible if the coach plans on his tactics.
I am begging Mr. Kanu to work with coach Rohr before the match. He need to talk to the coach and the players as well.
They must not allow South Africa to disgrace us on Wednesday. They have what it takes to do so.
Beating Nigeria is their main target and it will make them comes Super heroes. Super Eagles should be warned before the match.
Coach had no ideas against Argentina and we lost the match.
Same thing occurred against Madagascar in our last group match.
We should all remember we were beaten by the same South Africa team in Uyo.
Hmmm, I said my own. We should stay humble this time around. Don’t be surprised if Akpeyi man the post on Wednesday. Oga Rohr tactics its not realible. I called his tactics 50/50 chance. Go and make Nigeria proud Super Eagles. I wish Oga Rohr and his team well. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!
Dr Drey and Ayphilly, eat your hearts out. Omo9ja rocks!!!!
I hail you sir. May you work and never stumble. The clandestines called Ayphilly and Dr Drey shall both come to see the errors of their ways in due time.
Soon, their treachery shall be exposed for all to see.
Omo9ja for presidents.
Your treachery and that of your god has already been exposed….LMAO. So bad was it for you both that you had to g into hiding for 48 to stave off the odour of your shames. LMAO
Both of you have been tongue tied since Saturday wen Rohr gave you both the middle finger…Lolz
*…had to go into hiding for 48 hours…*
LEEEMAOO!!! Rohr gave them the middle finger and shove it up their a……..
They’re already praying for South Africa to beat us that’s why you see all the long epistles. However, just like Alexander the Great in the city where Alexander met Cleopatra devour the lions in Alexandria. Rohr haters will be chopped to pieces when we cross the RED SEA in Cairo. ISI Ewu and Nkwobi guys are already doing push-ups on how to roast them.
Hey Homies y’all dont have respond to that fella
so you ve been for the team to lose men you dont worth living
@steve, me just Dy laugh at them with their bad belle. Don’t worry bro, rohr knows how to silence them. It took some of them 2days to post a comment after we beat cameroun, this time around its gonna take them forever to post shit.
@Omonja. You are just weeping. Go on and weep. We know you to be a weeping prophet, always talking from both sides of your mouth and tongue. Go and slaughter the coaches of national teams of Ghana, Egypt, morroccoo, CAMEROUN, Guinea, Mali, who couldn’t go beyond the round of 16 stage. Hater. You are just a distraction to good work and success.
you re a fool.
very stupid guy omo9ja fool
Omo9ja, you’ve just written utter crap!!!
When we are losing you not support us . please when we are winning don’t support us.
I wish super eagle of Nigeria good luck on Wednesday match against bafana bafana of South Africa
You have no reason to call him a liar because he voiced his opinion which he is entitled to. There are people in this forum who insults mr rohr but we don’t need to insult them because then there will be no difference between us. Besides, if everybody loves mr rohr then i will advice he resigns because you leave when the ovation is loudest, if not you may regret it later. For the people that have decided to always insult mr rohr, what SE needs is constructive criticism and not insult or hate. But if think that insulting a 60-something years old man (not sure of his exact age) is the only way you can air your opinion, then keep showing us the level of maturity and moral upbringing you have.