FORMER Super Eagles head coach and 1994 Africa Cup of Nations-winning coach, Clemens Westerhof, has been hospitalised after being diagnosed with colon cancer.
News Point Nigeria Sport reports that Westerhof’s wife, Lillian, confirmed the illness in an Instagram post on Saturday, revealing that the family was devastated by the diagnosis and appealing for prayers and support.
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She added that the family desperately needs prayers and assistance, disclosing that the veteran coach was emotional and clinging to life despite his critical condition.
According to Vanguard Newspaper, Westerhof is receiving treatment at Rijnstate Hospital in Arnhem, his hometown in the Netherlands.
The former Super Eagles coach was rushed to the hospital on Wednesday. His wife added that he could be transferred to a medical facility in Amsterdam, the Dutch capital, or Germany in search of better treatment.
“The doctor just told us he has colon cancer and we are all devastated,” she said.
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“He is in a critical condition and emotional, talking about our two daughters.
“He wants to live. We need help. We need prayers.”
Westerhof, who has also battled Alzheimer’s disease for a long time, previously suffered a severe fall and dislocated his waist in 2022.
The veteran Dutch tactician served as head coach of the Super Eagles from 1989 to 1994 and remains widely revered for transforming Nigerian football during his tenure.
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He led Nigeria to victory at the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia and also guided the national team to qualify for its first-ever FIFA World Cup, held in the United States in the same year.
Under Westerhof, Nigeria climbed to fifth in the FIFA world rankings, the country’s highest-ever position and an African record that remains unmatched to date.
