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4 weeks ago
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- Jay Jay Okocha turned down apical European clubs owed to debased wage offers, choosing clubs that valued his worth
- The Super Eagles fable challenged the shot world’s attraction of African players during his playing days
- Despite not playing for planetary giants, Okocha near an unforgettable bequest successful some nine and planetary football
Nigerian shot fable and erstwhile Super Eagles captain, Austin "Jay Jay" Okocha, has revealed the existent crushed helium ne'er joined immoderate of Europe's biggest shot clubs during his illustrious playing career.
Known for his exceptional dribbling, vision, and accomplishment connected the ball, the erstwhile Enugu Rangers midfielder was wide regarded arsenic 1 of the astir talented midfielders of his generation.
Source: Getty Images
While galore fans person often wondered wherefore the legendary fig 10 ne'er played for European powerhouses similar Barcelona, Real Madrid, oregon Manchester United, Okocha has yet opened connected his crushed for snubbing the apical clubs successful Europe.
Okocha says mediocre wages played a role
In an interrogation with Arise TV, Okocha explained that during his playing years, apical European clubs often undervalued African talents.
Despite being courted by big-name clubs, the contracts they offered simply did not bespeak his worth.
“It was not casual for an African subordinate to play for apical clubs due to the fact that they don’t wage precocious wages,” Okocha said.“When they connection you a contract, the wealth is tiny due to the fact that they spot it arsenic doing you a favour.”Instead of accepting offers that did not conscionable his expectations, Okocha opted for clubs that recognised his marketplace worth and were consenting to wage accordingly, Daily Post reported.
His nine vocation saw him radiance astatine Eintracht Frankfurt, Fenerbahce, Paris Saint-Germain, Bolton Wanderers, Qatar SC, and Hull City.
Okocha challenged the strategy successful Europe
Okocha’s bold stance connected declaration worth was uncommon astatine the time, peculiarly for African players.
Source: Getty Images
In the 1990s and aboriginal 2000s, galore African stars were often forced to judge lesser contracts than their European oregon South American counterparts, adjacent with adjacent oregon greater talent.
Okocha’s refusal to beryllium short-changed was a statement, 1 that pushed the communicative that African players deserved conscionable arsenic overmuch respect and compensation arsenic anyone else.
“I had to crook down immoderate offers from large clubs due to the fact that of wage issues,” Okocha emphasised.His determination whitethorn person kept him from signing for immoderate apical clubs similar Manchester United, Barcelona, oregon Real Madrid, but it besides ensured helium was ne'er undervalued.
A fable beyond nine football
Despite not playing for Europe’s elite clubs, Okocha carved retired a bequest that transcended squad names.
According to Transfermarkt, helium earned 73 caps and scored 14 goals for the Nigerian nationalist team, and helium was a cardinal subordinate successful Nigeria’s 1994 African Cup of Nations triumph and starred successful the 1996 Olympic golden medal team.
In presumption of idiosyncratic accolades, Okocha finished arsenic African Footballer of the Year runner-up successful 1998 and placed 3rd successful some 2003 and 2004.
Okocha bemoans CAF grant loss
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Okocha has opened up connected however CAF denied him the accidental of winning the African Footballer of the Year Award successful his career.
So bully they named him twice, Okocha was 1 of the astir talented African footballers ever, but ne'er got his hands connected the coveted idiosyncratic award.
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Source: Legit.ng
