John Dosu is the younger brother of Atlanta '96 Olympic gold medallist, Dosu Joseph, and currently plies his trade with Warri Wolves as a goalkeeper. In this interview, he shares his experience with SAYO OGUNDEJI, following the accident that cut short the rising career of his brother, Joseph Dosu, and why his brother's performance at the Atlanta '96 Olympic will remain evergreen in their minds.
What led to your decision to embrace goalkeeping?
I came from a family of four boys and two girls but first, David Dosu was a goalkeeper like Joseph Dosu and that made it easy in my decision to venture into football. Interestingly, I started as a striker but an experience with my brother, David, made me switch from a striker to a goalkeeper. There was a day, I asked him to allow me play with his team, but he declined saying that he didn't need a striker and that I would have to get kits for myself if I want to be selected as a front man. However, he showed willingness to give me the same kits he had asked me to buy provided I become a goalkeeper and from that day I took interest in being a goalkeeper and I have no regret over that decision till date.
Your other brother, Joseph Dosu, was a member of Nigeria's national U-23 team, the Dream Team, which won the football event of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, what was the feeling like for you and the entire family following that victorious outing of the squad?
That was one of the greatest moments of my life and our entire family, especially in watching one of our own doing business for Nigeria. The manner at which they won the tournament, beating the likes of Brazil and Argentina made the victory more interesting. Many people who would not even bother to say hello to any of us before became our instant friends and we became more popular because of his performance at the tournament.
(http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/dosu2.jpg) (http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/dosu2.jpg) Joseph Dosu (3rd from right) celebrates with teammates after Dream Team's triumph at the Atlanta '96 Olympics
My brother's outing at that tournament still brings good memories, not only for my family but for the entire nation and that is quite amazing having someone like Joseph who has made everybody happy at one point in time through the round leather game. He really made the family and the entire nation proud.
Despite his impressive performance at that tournament, his career was however cut short through the accident he suffered. How did the entire family receive the news?
We received the news with shock and to my brother it was a great blow to his fast rising career because the whole world saw the potential in him and many felt he would become one of the greatest goalkeepers not only in Africa, but in the entire world to have come out of the country.
And to have such a promising career cut short in that manner obviously could be very devastating. As a family, we understood the fact that one must always praise God during the good and the bad times and I think that was what really helped us to absorb the pains.
Despite that unfortunate accident, he is still doing really well for himself today. He accepted his fate and moved on from that challenge and the family rallied round him with the needed support. My brother, Joseph, is a great individual with positive personality and I think that helped him to adjust to life.
You have been playing professional football in Nigeria for some time, what has the experience been?
The Nigeria Professional Football League as it is being called now has come a long way and is gradually coming to a stage where we can all be proud to associate with it, but there are areas we need to improve upon.
The performance of the selected home-based players at the last Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa where Nigeria emerge champions of the continent is also a proof that the league is on the rise.
The league is progressing but I strongly believe it will get better in the nearest future, provided we give the right people with the needed experience the opportunity to bring about the desired change you and I are craving for.
Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, has shown immense faith with domestic players, are you not worried that the national team coaches have not invited you to prove yourself?
One thing you need to understand is that Nigeria is blessed with many talent in every facet of human endeavour and we cannot all play at the same time. Though I have not been invited before, I strongly believe that with hard work and dedication to the game, I will get the invitation and when it comes, I will seize it with both hands because it is every player's wish to don the national team colour.
You left Akwa United for Warri Wolves at the beginning of the current season, what influenced your decision?
I had many offers during the transfer window, but Warri Wolves offer was better than the other ones, but what made me join them was because of the belief that I stand a better chance of improving my game as a player and also win titles.
I have settled in very well with the help of my teammates and the management who have been very supportive since my arrival, so I am looking forward to helping the team achieve its ambition.
Obviously we are not where we want to be at the moment, but our ambition is to win the Nigeria Professional Football League and ultimately qualify for the continental competition at the end of the season.
There were reports in the media recently that Shooting Stars of Ibadan wanted to sign you as replacement for injured Dele Ajiboye. How true were the rumours?
It was absolutely true that the club contacted me and I considered it a great honour for a club like 3SC to show interest in me in the first place, but I turned down the offer because I didn't think it was good enough for me to join them now. However, I have decided to keep faith with my club and help them realise their ambition. But I am highly delighted to have been contacted in the first place because that shows I am been appreciated by good clubs in the country.
Two-time Israeli Champions, Maccabi Haifa and FC Ashdod are among other European clubs said to be jostling for your signature early last year, why did you not tie up any of the deals?
The agent involved at the time was responsible for that because he delayed the deal and when it appeared everything was almost sorted, the club changed the coach which jeopardised the whole process. But as a professional, I have moved on with the belief that better things will surely come my way in the nearest future.
Nigeria was held by Kenya to a 1-1 draw in Calabar at the ongoing FIFA World Cup qualifier and will face the same team in Nairobi for the return leg before confronting Namibia later in the year. Do you think Nigeria can get a favourable result away to Kenya that will brighten our chances of picking a ticket to Brazil 2014?
Everybody expected Nigeria to beat Kenya here in Calabar because we had just been crowned the champions of Africa, but football is not easily predictable most times and Nigerians have to keep faith with the team and I believe the Super Eagles will qualify for the world cup irrespective of what our opponents throw at us.
National Mirror