Jay-Jay Okocha: Premier League cult icon who was a father figure to Ronaldinho, once humiliated Oliver Kahn… and formed unlikely bond with Sam Allardyce
Nigerian best remembered for his time with Bolton had a dazzling array of tricks that befuddled his opponents and gave him a lasting legacy in the game
SO good they named him twice.
Jay-Jay Okocha was one of those rare talents that everybody loved, whether you supported his team or not.
A seven-time Nigerian Player of the Year, he’s best remembered, in this country at least, for his time at Bolton Wanderers. He helped save the Lancashire club from relegation and then took them to the final of the League Cup and into Europe after they qualified for the UEFA Cup.
He’s also remembered for a frankly obscene array of tricks that left scores of opposition players crying into their post-match beer.
“I love showing off my skills on the pitch,” he once said. “You can make opposing players look stupid.”
And boy did he do that.
He had total belief in his own ability
Okocha got his first big break in the game in 1990 when he was visiting his friend Binebi Numa in Germany.
Numa was playing for Borussia Neunkichen in the third tier of German football and when Okocha turned up to watch him train one morning, he asked if he could join in.
The next day the coach offered him a contract. He was soon wowing fans in Germany.
Okocha’s promise was such that he was snapped up by Eintracht Frankfurt and it was with Die Adler that he scored a goal that is still talked about in the Bundesliga.
In a game against Karlsruher, he picked up the ball in the opposition penalty area and then humiliated three defenders and legendary German keeper Oliver Kahn as well.
He was a mentor to a legend
After two seasons with Fenerbahce, Okocha signed for Paris Saint-Germain in 1998 and the fee of £14million was a record for an African player.
It was during his time in the French capital that Okocha was asked to take a promising young Brazilian player under his wing.
His name? Ronaldinho.
Somehow, Bolton Wanderers signed him
Okocha was lured to Lancashire by then Trotters boss Sam Allardyce, who had seen him play in the 2002 Word Cup Finals for Nigeria and made a few calls.
So Big Sam set up a meeting at Charles de Gaulle airport to try to convince Okocha to join Bolton.
“I started the usual spiel,” said Sam. “We’re not the most fashionable club… dah dee dah… but we have got Youri Djorkaeff.”
Okocha stopped him in his tracks.
“I know, I want to come to Bolton,” he replied.
A deal was done at the airport but rather than hop on a private plane with his agents in tow, Okocha just jumped in his car and drove all the way to Bolton to sign his contract the following day.
He worked wonders at Wanderers
His move to Bolton in the summer of 2002 helped Okocha fulfil his dream of appearing in the Premier League and, presumably, playing alongside Colin Hendry and Mike Whitlow.
He was an instant hit and scooped award after award, including the BBC African Footballer of the Year in 2003 and 2004 and the club’s 2005 Player of the Year.
He also won Goal of the Month in April 2003 for an amazing effort against West Ham where he ran from deep inside his own half, hurdling tackles, before lashing the ball past David James in the Hammers’ goal from 25 yards.
He found an unlikely father figure in Sam Allardyce
You wouldn’t have thought that a talent as gifted and flamboyant as Okocha would have found a natural home at Bolton Wanderers, nor would you have thought that a manager as thoroughly, well, British as Sam Allardyce would have got the best out of him.
But it was a match made in football heaven.
Years later, when he was appointed manager of England, Allardyce recalled his time at Bolton and was quick to sing Okocha’s praises.
He said: “In a multi-national side from all over the world he could speak four different languages, communicate very well with some of the players who couldn’t speak quite as good English.”
Like Kevin Nolan.
He loved a free-kick
Or two.
Take the League Cup semi-final first leg against Aston Villa in 2004 when the Nigerian curled in a corker in the first half and then, in the second, scored one of the greatest free-kicks you’re ever likely to see.
The goal – one of two Okocha scored in the game – stunned Allardyce, who later said: “I have been associated with this club for 17 years and I haven’t seen anyone better than him here.
“Jay-Jay’s second has to be the goal of the season.
“He bent it from that angle around the outside of the wall with his right foot into the top corner of the net.
“Thomas Sorensen barely moved, it moved that quick. Jay-Jay’s talent is unquestionable and he has done us a magnificent job.”
Ray Parlour still has nightmares about him
Why?
Because of that time Okocha absolutely ruined the Arsenal star.
Picture the scene: Bolton have a corner in the dying seconds against Arsenal. The year is 2003. The score is 2-2.
But rather than protect possession and run the clock down, Okocha performs an amazing rainbow flick over the Gunners defender.
It happens so quickly all Parlour can do is turn round in seemingly slow motion and look at the cloud of dust Okocha left behind while totally mugging him off in front of millions.
Football is in his genes
Not only did his dad and two brothers play football but Jay Jay Okocha’s nephew is Arsenal’s Alex Iwobi.
Once, Okocha was asked which player the young Iwobi admired in the game.
“It should be me,” came the reply. “I’d be disappointed if it wasn’t!”