Throughout the history of football, we have had many great players impart the round leather game in so many dramatic and dynamic ways. It is their own little contributions that have brought football to its present day grace and enviable status. One of such players is our own Austin Jay-Jay Okocha “wizard of the dribbles”.
With a career that spans 17years across Africa, Europe and Asia, Okocha has proved that with a well nurtured talent one can rule the world. Okocha began playing football at a young age, from where many football greats began--the streets. He went on to prove himself as a great potential at Enugu Rangers, churning out beautiful performances for the club in a short spell in 1990. He later travelled to Germany where his talent was spotted by a scout of German third division side Borussia Neunkirchen, who took him on trials, also in 1990. He later went on to play for two years at the club after a successful trial. The next 16 years would later see Jay-Jay play for a number of top sides including, Eintracht Frankfurt, Fenerbahce, PSG, Bolton Wanderers, Qatar SC as well as Hull City maintaining his top flight status as a great player in almost all these clubs.
At Borussia Neunkirchen, Jay-Jay’s scintillating performances earned him a move to German top side Fenerbahce, where he thrilled the club fans and indeed the world to many moments of exhilarating ecstasy, with his magical feet throughout the four seasons he spent there. One of such displays was against a young Oliver Kahn where he rounded off the goalkeeper and his entire defense line, going past some of the players twice in the process before slotting home. When asked during an interview, the reason he pulled such a joker, he replied, “because of their racism, and what better way to retaliate than to dribble them till they eat the grass or their words”. That’s just Jay-Jay, he makes humor with his feet. He would later leave the club under duress after falling out with his manager Jupp Heynckes in his last season in Germany in ’96.
A move to Turkish side Fenerbahce meant he would be showcasing his talents at Europe’s biggest stage- EUFA Champions league. Okocha did not disappoint at all, garnering a total of 30 goals in 63 games in the two seasons he spent at the club-the best goals per games tally of his entire footballing career. His performances earned him a much deserved call-up to the national team for the France ’98 World Cup. At the World Cup, Jay-Jay put up such a brilliant display with his repertoire of skills and clear vision on the ball as to earn him a move to France in a $24m deal to PSG in that same year, to make him the most expensive African player then.
Arriving at PSG on the antecedents of his previous performances, we could say it wasn’t particularly easy for Jay-Jay to live up to the hype around him, scoring 12 goals in 84 games for the club until he was released by the club after four seasons to join Bolton.
At Bolton, Okocha immediately became an idol of the fans with his sterling performances. As club captain in his second season, he steered them from relegation and lead them to their first cup finals in 9 years, where they were eventual runners-up. The Bolton fans even coined a phrase for him, “so good they named him twice”. Even after he had left the club, a burglar broke into his house and all he took was Jay-Jay’s Bolton number 10 jersey - such an idol! Okocha later left for Qatar SC where he had a brief stint before returning to the EPL with Hull City where he finally hung up his playing boots in 2006.
What more can we say bout the man Austin Okocha? He was a player who enjoyed his game, he plays and others can take credit provided he gets to play. At Bolton he was a “Midas touch” in the Super Eagles he was indispensable, always a fans favorite, never in the news for the wrong, a mentor to upcoming players. We would never get to see his type of player again. Other players will only try to practice the skills he so freely displayed on the field. Well done Jay-Jay. Nigerians, the world,we miss all miss you.
In my own opinion, Jay-Jay is one of the greatest players ever to have kicked a football in entire history of the game. Currently, there's no player that can do the things he did with his feet. I miss you Jay-Jay!!!
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