JAY JAY OKOCHA’S PROFILE
EARLY LIFE:
Jay Jay Okocha was born on the 14th August 1973 in Enugu State
into the family of Mr. and Mrs. Okocha of Ogwashi-Uku, Aniocha South Local Government Area Delta State, Nigeria.
CARRIER AS A FOOTBALLER
Okocha
started playing at home at a tender age with any round thing he finds around
him, until 1990 he joined Enugu Rangers while in the club, he produced many
spectacular displays including one where he rounded off and scored a goal,
against experienced Nigerian goalkeeper William Okpara in a watch against BCC
Lions. He later traveled to Germany to meet a friend, where he was asked to
train with his team after impressing in training, and landed a dead with German
third Division side Borussia Neunkirchen.
Thereafter joined Einfradit Frankfurt in
1992, and was linked up with many well-known players including international
striker Tony Yeboah of Ghana
and Thomas Poll. He continued to shine for German side, one highlight being a
goal he scored against karlsruhe, dribling in the penalty box and slotting the
ball past oliver kahn even going past some players twice. The goal was voted
goal of the season by many soccer magazines. In 1995 he (Okocha) and friends
were involved in a feud with manager JUPP Heynckes, which led to his friends
Okocha played till the end of the season when Frankfurt were relegated to the
second division before signing for Istanbul club Generbache. In his two seasons
with the team he scored thirty goals in sixty appearances, many of them coming
from direct free-kicks which had become something of a trademark for him at the
club. He was also part of the side that historically defeated Manchester United
1-0 at old Trafford in the 1996-1997 UEFA Champions league group stage. While
at Fenerbahce he became a Turkish citizen as Muhammed Yavuz.
In 1998 French side PSG offered him 24
million making him the most experience African player then. During his four (4)
year stint with PSG he played 84 matches and scored 12 goals.
He later joined Bolton
wanderers in 2002 after the FIFA world cup. His debut (first appearance) season
despite being hinder by injury, made him a favourite with the Bolton
wanderers fans with the team printing shirts with the inscription Jay-Jay so good
they manned him twice. He steered the team away from relegation with seven
goals including the team goal of the season in the vital league win against West Itam. This was voted Bolton’s
best premier league goal in a fans vote in 2008. The next season saw Okocha
receive more responsibility as he was given the captain’s armband following
Guoni Bergsson’s retirement. As Captain he led Bolton
to their first cup final in nine years where they finished runner-up in the
2004 football league cup. In 2006 he was stripped of the captaincy, that led to
his refusal of a one year extension in order to move to Qatar.
After a season in Qatar, Hull City
signed him (Okocha) on a free transfer in 2007, after he as linked to Real salt
lake and Sydney FC. He was not able to contribute greatly to Hull’s Promotion campaign due to fitness and
constant injury problems, playing only 18 games and scoring no goals. Hull still succeeded in
grabbling promotion to the premier league.
He played for Super Eagles and win a 1-0
against Algeria, he scored form a direct free kick to equalized before helping
the team to a 4-1 win, eventually securing qualification to debut in World cup.
In 1994 he was a member of both the victorious 1994 African Cup of Nations
squad and the world cup squad who made it to the second round before they lost
in a match against eventual runnas up Italy.
In 1996 Okochas was a member of an
arguably more successful Nigerian side, their Olympic gold winning side at the
Atlanta Games, he later nicknamed dream team by the Nigerian press after the USA 1992
Olympic gold winning basket ball team. 1998 FIFA world cup hosted by framed,
Okocha played for a disappointing Super Eagles side who failed to live up to
expectations again reaching the round of 16, they lost a 3-2 against Spain for
their opening match. That did not destroy interest in Okocha, who had
entertained fans with his trademark skills and dribbles and went on to be named
in the squad of the tournament. Okocha again joined the Supper Eagles in the
2000 African Cup for Nations co-hosted with Ghana. He scored three goals in the
tournament, two in the opening game against Tunisha, and a left foot blast
outside the penalty area into the top corner in the final against Cameroon,
which equalized the score 2-2 and ultimately would send the match into extra
time.
He became the Supper Eagles captain in
2002, He appeared first as a team Captain in the Korea
and Japan
world cup in 2002. playing in Group E, and was unable to make it to the next
round. Okocha later led the Super Eagle to Tunisia
for the African Cup of Nation in 2004 with some breathfaking displays, scoring
four goals which include a spectacular free kick against Cameroon in the quarter finals and most notably
the 1000th goals in Nations cup History against South Africa,
and winning the player of the tournament and joint Golden boat winner. He
announced his retirement after the 2006 African Cup of Nation World Cup in Egypt. He made
a return to the Super Eagles in a testimonial against an African select side in
Warri. The math featured many former & current Super Eagles players.