Jay Jay Okocha: Super Eagles icon reflects on his football career, shares biggest regret

• AFCON Winner Austin Jay-Jay Okocha has opened up astir his biggest regret successful his shot career, contempt his popularity
• The 51-year-old attended 5 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournaments and 2 FIFA World Cups, captaining the Super Eagles during the 2002 edition
• The erstwhile Enugu Rangers subordinate made his people successful England pursuing his determination to Bolton Wanderers, wherever manager Sam Allardyce brought him in

Super Eagles icon Austin Jay-Jay Okocha has expressed regret implicit not winning a peculiar grant during his playing career.

The ex-PSG subordinate won the 1994 AFCON and claimed a golden medal astatine the Atlanta 1996 Olympics with Nigeria's Dream Team.

The erstwhile Fenerbahce subordinate captained Nigeria to the 2002 FIFA World Cup successful Korea/Japan nether manager Festus Onigbinde.

Super Eagles fable Austin Jay-Jay Okocha shares his biggest regret from his playing days. Photo by: ISSOUF SANOGO/AFP.
Source: Getty Images

Okocha reflects missing retired connected CAF POTY

Nigeria icon Austin Jay-Jay Okocha has expressed his disappointment implicit not winning the CAF Player of the Year grant during his playing days.

According to Soccernet, the Bolton Wanderers fable believes helium did capable to assertion Africa’s astir prestigious idiosyncratic award.

Okocha besides mentioned that winning the BBC Player of the Year grant helped service arsenic a signifier of compensation for his inability to unafraid the CAF honour. He said via Master Card sponsored Q&A:

“Honestly, I bash not privation to dependable greedy and ungrateful, but I’ve had an astonishing career, I ne'er thought I would marque it that large successful my life.“But of course, if you look back, there’s ever a clip erstwhile you say, ‘Oh, possibly you could’ve done a spot amended than you did.’ And if I’m to say, I’ll say, I regret not winning the African Footballer of the Year.”“I thought I did capable to person won it due to the fact that it wasn’t a fluke that I won BBC Player of the Year 3 years successful a enactment and inactive didn’t negociate to triumph that CAF award. But, I mean, possibly it was not meant to be", helium added.

Nigeria fable Okocha finished down Moroccan fable Mustapha Hadji successful 1998 and Cameroonian fable Samuel Eto'o successful 2004 per CAF.

He won the BBC Player of the Year back-to-back (2003 and 2004) per BBC.

Austin Jay-Jay Okocha has stated his biggest regret successful his playing days, contempt winning the AFCON and appearing astatine the World Cup. Photo by: Michael Mayhew/Sportsphoto/Allstar.
Source: Getty Images

Itodo claims Okocha is Africa's astir outstanding midfielder

Nigerian writer Michael Itodo has rated Austin Okocha supra different African midfielders, calling him the continent's astir exceptional endowment successful that position.

Speaking successful an exclusive interrogation with Legit.ng, Itodo emphasized that nary African subordinate has matched the accomplishment and flair of the Super Eagles legend. He stated:

"I tin confidently accidental that erstwhile Super Eagles skipper Austin Jay Jay Okocha remains the astir outstanding midfielder to person emerged from Africa."The Super Eagles fable made a monolithic interaction some connected the continent and successful Europe with his unsocial benignant of play. His erstwhile coaches ever had assurance that helium would dictate the tempo of the game."We believed we could find a replacement for him, but adjacent now, Nigeria has yet to nutrient a originative attacking midfielder of his caliber. Many thought the likes of Mikel Obi and Rabiu Ibrahim could capable his shoes, but I tin archer you that nary 1 comes adjacent to unbuckling Okocha's sandals."

Okocha blasts Carragher implicit AFCON disrespect

Legit.ng earlier reported Super Eagles fable Austin Jay-Jay Okocha has thrown a jab astatine shot pundit Jamie Carragher implicit his comments berating the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Carragher, a Liverpool legend, said Mohamed Salah's chances of becoming the champion subordinate successful the satellite are slim due to the fact that the AFCON is not a large tournament.

The Bolton fable said Jamie Carragher does not merit the attraction he’s getting from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the legends.

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Source: Legit.ng