Nigeria football icon Joseph Dosu has been named as the ambassador of the National Principal’s Cup competition.
The football tournament held amongst secondary schools remains the country’s oldest grassroots and it has produced several household names in the beautiful sport.
The 47-year-old won the championship as a pupil of Igbobi College, Lagos in 1987 before defunct Julius Berger handed him his first professional contract in 1991. There he was snapped up by Italian football outfit, Reggiana.
Dosu played a key role in the country’s triumph at the 96 Atlanta Olympics where the Dream Team stunned world powers Brazil and Argentina to win the gold medal.
In a chat with Goal, the proprietor of DJ Academy is thrilled to be made the face of the National Principal’s Cup, while assuring that he would do all it takes to ensure Nigeria return to its rightful place in grassroots football.
“I’m happy to be the ambassador of the National Principal’s Cup,” he told Goal.
“The Principal’s Cup has produced a lot of players for the national teams in the past and names such as Henry Nwosu, Tajudeen Disu, Franklin Howard, Stephen Keshi, Samson Siasia, Tarila Okoronwata, Sunday Oliseh, Ike Shorunmu and Taribo West come to mind.
“These players not only represented the country and won laurels, they also had successful careers as footballers.
“As a grassroots man and as a Principal’s Cup winner with Igbobi College in 1987, this competition will go a long way towards bringing back our lost glory in grassroots football.
“I also feel that going back to the grassroots is very important for our football to go back to what it was before.
“As an ambassador, I will do my best to ensure that the lost glory is brought back and to help grassroots players. And with the help of Nigeria’s Sports Minister Sunday Dare, I know we can achieve this.”
According to Tony Pemu, CEO/MD of HideaPlus Ltd – the consultant to the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development on the National Principal’s Cup, the choice of the retired goalkeeper was an easy one having won the tourney plus his achievements in the beautiful game.
He also revealed that two more ambassadors will be announced in the coming days. The 2020 edition will commence as soon as the lockdown, due to the coronavirus pandemic, is relaxed.