Former coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Clemens Westerhof has hit back at claims made by former international Tijani Babangida who accused him of unfairly dropping him from the 1994 Africa Cup of nations winning team.
Babangida said he was surprisingly dropped from the team despite the fact that he was at that time in the form of his life and playing at a level that no coach should ignore.
He claimed the Dutch coach wanted to be his representative but he refused and it led to a disagreement that brought about his exclusion from the team to the tournament in Tunisia.
, “I was too good to be left out of the squads,” adding, “I had issues with the coach (Westerhof), who wanted to manage me and I disagreed”,Babangida said.
Reacting to the allegations, Westerhof said although Babangida was at that time in his prime but they were other players ahead of him in the pecking order.
He said the decision was purely football related and nothing to do with managing the ex Ajax winger who according to him wasn’t at the same level with Finidi George that was picked ahead of him.
“I want to believe it was a joke because I doubt if he has forgotten that Nigeria had a glut of stars who were far ahead of him in the Eagles’ pecking order”, the coach said.
“Although I admit Babangida was a good player, he was not better than Finidi George, or Siasia, or Amokachi or Yekini. Who then should I have dropped fto make space for him?.
“I coached numerous Nigerian players who still appreciate my role in their development. Finidi was in Holland sometime ago and was asked who was his best coach in his career.
“He told the journalists that Westerhof had been his best coach ever. I am not boasting, I produced the best Nigerian team ever.”
