Ex-Super Eagles coach Westerhof faces colon cancer, wife asks for prayers

A former Super Eagles coach, Clemens Westerhof, is seriously ill after being diagnosed with colon cancer in the Netherlands.

His wife, Lilian, shared the news with Vanguard on Saturday. She spoke to Saturday Editor Onochie Anibeze on Friday night. The 86-year-old is getting treatment at Rijnstate Hospital in Arnhem, where he was born.

"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 mentioned that Westerhof was taken to the hospital on Wednesday. She added that this cancer diagnosis is a new challenge in his ongoing health battles.

Westerhof has been dealing with Alzheimer's disease for some time now.

His wife is worried about the care he is getting at the hospital. She hopes to move him to a better hospital in Amsterdam or Germany.

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

Westerhof, who turned 86 in May, is well-known for his impact on Nigerian football as the head coach of the Super Eagles.

He led Nigeria to its first FIFA World Cup in 1994 and helped the team win the Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia that same year.

While he was in charge, Nigeria finished second at the 1990 AFCON and took home bronze in 1992. The team also reached fifth place in the FIFA world rankings during his time, marking an important achievement for Nigerian and African football.