"El-Salvador is the name of a country. It means the saviour. I could be the El-Salvador of Nigerian football. With the right atmosphere, I will do it again. I did it before. When I walk the streets of Nigeria today, people tell me great things I did and I feel proud. I want to do them again."
These were the words of Clemens Westerhof yesterday. He called from South Africa, where he has settled after his days in Nigeria. But he is now managing the football academy Kojo Williams set up in Kwara and invited him to run. Kojo, the former FA chairman has since parted ways with the academy.Westerhof initiated a seeming revolution in Nigerian football, winning the Nations Cup and qualifying Nigeria for their first ever World Cup finals. It did not end there. Nigeria started playing such a brand of football that when they landed in USA for the World Cup, FIFA and the rest of the world tagged Nigeria "the team with the fastest attack."
Westerhof developed his own structure, players and found ways to attract support from government and the private sector. Hotels like Sheraton under Per Ingamasson assisted Eagles and the Lebanese Community lent a hand in sponsorship. He made the contacts and helped in funding the Eagles. On the job, he excelled too, travelling to all parts of the country to watch league matches and invite local players to camp
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