I’ll Be Nothing Without Erico – Dosu

Former Erico – Dosugoalkeeper, Dosu Joseph has revealed that he would have been nothing without the help of late Joe Erico, who brought him out from nowhere.

Fondly referred to as ‘Jogo Bonito’ by his admirers, Erico passed on in Lagos after a brief illness.

Erico was a part of the coaching crew of the Super Eagles at the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations tournament that was held in Lagos and also helped qualify Nigeria for the 2002 AFCON and World Cup.

In an interview on PUNCH Online interview programme, Kick&Follow, the Atlanta Olympic gold medalist stated that Erico was the brain behind his achievement in the senior national team.

Dosu also recalls how he cried after the team qualified for the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, a tournament he missed due to injury.

“When we qualified for the World Cup in France and I knew I won’t be going, I cried. I spoke with my agent, Churchill Oliseh, the elder brother to Sunday Oliseh, and we went to France together. We got to the hotel without the players knowing, entered the room and spoke to Sunday and I told him ‘when you score tomorrow don’t worry we will jubilate together when we come back (from the stadium).’

“They were singing the national anthem when we entered the stadium. When he (Sunday) raised his head up, he saw us coming and knew where we were seated. When he scored that beautiful goal, he ran towards where we were and was shouting ‘Dosu.’

“The rest of the players were saying ‘where is Dosu?’

“I cried because that was the first time I said I was supposed to be part of them but I give God all the glory that I am still alive today. Things happen and only God knows why, so I will say thanks to all Nigerians that prayed for me and also thanks to everyone that gave me the opportunity to put on the ‘Green and White’ jersey. But it was unfortunate that we lost the person that made me who I am today, Joe Erico. He was the man who took me from nowhere, but it’s just unfortunate that he is no more. I love my country no matter what but I want things to be done the right way.”


By Augustine Akhilomen