1,386 total views,  1 views today

By Amaechi Agbo

Former captain of Nigeria’s national team, the Super Eagles, Henry Nwosu is down and needs medical attention.

Although the nature of his medical condition is undisclosed, Chairman, Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria, PFAN, Mr Harrison Jalla who disclosed this on Sunday said the former midfielder “could barely talk”

“Henry Nwosu mercurial midfielder and former Captain of the Super Eagles and the youngest player in the Green Eagles Sqaud that won the African Nations Cup in 1980 for the first time.

“Nwosu who meritoriously served Nigeria in the 1980s and 1990s is down with an ailment that requires urgent medical attention, this writer just got off the phone this morning with Nwosu whose speech is already blurred,” he said.

He called on the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF; Minister of youth and sports, Imo State Government and well-meaning Nigerians to come to his aide as his condition requires urgent medical attention

“The Situation requires urgent medical attention. This is a clarion call to the NFF, Hon. Minister of Sports, the government of Imo state and all Nigerians of Goodwill to rally round Nwosu to save his life.

“Nwosu was a delight to watch in his days at defunct NNB, ACB, Iwuanyanwu Nationale and the Super Eagles. Henry Nwosu is a living legend.

“This is one of the reasons why the PFAN must get its proper representations in NFF, with its collective Bargaining agreement in place to run its welfare programmes for current and retired Footballers as an independent organisation,” he said.

Nwosu was an assistant for former Eagles teammate Samson Siasia at the 2008 Beijing Olympics where Nigeria won the silver medal. He also assisted Festus Onigbinde that took the Super Eagles to 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea and Japan

On 27 September 2008, Nwosu was appointed as the coach for the Nigerian U-17 team.

The 59 years old was hired that August as coach of Union Bank F.C. In October 2013, he was named coach for Abeokuta club Gateway United F.C.[7]

Nwosu spent his career at home with New Nigeria Bank (NNB) of Benin City and African Continental Bank (ACB) of Lagos. He also played for ASEC Mimosas FC of Ivory Coast and Racing FC Bafoussam of Cameroon.

A gifted midfielder, Nwosu was the youngest member of Nigeria’s victorious 1980 African Nations Cup squad, and scored the only goal for Nigeria at the 1980 Olympics. He also played in the 1982, 1984 and 1988 tournaments, finishing runners up in the latter two, with his last game for Nigeria coming in 1991.