Former Super Eagles coach Westerhof battles critical Colon Cancer in Netherlands    

Former Super Eagles head coach Clemens Westerhof is in critical condition after being diagnosed with colon cancer in the Netherlands, raising concerns over the health of the 86-year-old football tactician.

According to Vanguard, Westerhof’s wife, Lilian, disclosed the development to the newspaper’s Saturday Editor, Onochie Anibeze, on Friday night, saying her husband was receiving treatment at Rijnstate Hospital in Arnhem, his hometown.

“The doctor just told us he has colon cancer and we are all devastated. He is in a critical condition and emotional, talking about our two daughters. He wants to live. We need help. We need prayers,” she said.

Lilian said Westerhof was taken to the hospital on Wednesday, adding that the latest diagnosis had compounded his existing health challenges.

The Dutch football tactician had previously been battling Alzheimer’s disease.

His wife also expressed concern about the treatment he was receiving, saying she hoped to move him to a better-equipped medical facility in Amsterdam or Germany.

“They appear to have given up. I don’t understand,” she said.

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Westerhof, who turned 86 in May, remains one of the most influential foreign coaches in Nigerian football history, having transformed the Super Eagles into a formidable force during his tenure.

He guided Nigeria to qualify for its first FIFA World Cup in 1994, when the team reached the round of 16 in the United States.

In the same year, he led the Super Eagles to win the Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia, securing Nigeria’s second continental title.

His achievements also included guiding the team to second place at the 1990 AFCON in Algeria and a bronze medal at the 1992 tournament in Senegal.

Under his leadership, Nigeria rose to fifth in the FIFA world rankings, marking a significant milestone for the country and African football.

Westerhof’s tenure laid the foundation for a golden period in Nigerian football, producing a generation of players who gained international recognition and helped establish the Super Eagles as one of Africa’s leading national teams.

His current health condition has renewed attention on his enduring contributions to Nigerian football, with his family appealing for prayers and support as he undergoes treatment in the Netherlands