Minister, NFF mourn Erico
PHOTO: Erico (right) with Amodu Shaibu (middle) and Stephen Keshi (left). The idolised triumvirate have now all passed on.
The death of Former Green Eagles goalkeeper Joseph Erico has been discribed as a monumental loss to Nigeria by Minister of Youth and sports Development Mr Sunday Dare.
A statement by the Minister’s Media Office stated “Erico dead, this is so unfortunate and sad. This is one death too many, a great loss to the entire family and the sporting fraternity. He was a great goalkeeper who stood out among his peers, he also made his mark as Assistant Super Eagles coach. My deepest condolences to the family, friends and the football family. May God bless his soul and comfort his family.”
Erico made his mark as a player with ECN which metamorphosed into NEPA Football Club. He was a member of the Green Eagles Nations Cup Bronze winning team in Ethiopia.
He later coached Julius Berger Football Club of Lagos as well as NEPA FC.
Erico was nicknamed the Jogo Bonito exponent because of his flair for tip tap football reminiscent of the Brazilian Samba style.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in a statement described Erico’s death as another sad day for Nigerian football.
“It is another sad day for Nigerian Football. Erico was among the very best of Nigeria’s international goalkeepers and also served the country with fervour and diligence as Assistant Coach of the Super Eagles between 2001 and 2002.
He will be sorely missed. We pray that Almighty God grant him eternal rest and also grant his family and loved ones the fortitude to bear the big loss,” NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, said in Abuja.
Erico, it is recalled, was part of the triumvirate (alongside late Amodu Shaibu and late Stephen Keshi) who were shooed in to do a rescue job for Nigeria as the ship to the 2002 FIFA World Cup finals tottered badly under Dutchman Johannes Bonfrere. With three matches left in the campaign and a must-win mandate for all, the trio got the job done and qualified Nigeria for Korea/Japan.
They also led the team to a bronze-medal finish at the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Mali early 2002.
With his death on Thursday morning, it means all members of that historic triumvirate have now passed on.
