Former Super Eagles skipper and BCC African Player of the year award winner, Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha has warned the Super Eagles to be at their very best at the World Cup in Brazil and must not be found wanting stating that failure to go beyond the first round could prove detrimental for the game in Nigeria.
Speaking at a forum where he was guest at the presentation of the Europa Cup, Okocha noted that football plays a big role in the lives of Nigerians.
“Football in Nigeria is big and it unites us as a nation. I just hope that this time around our team would make the desired impact to make Africa proud.”
Okocha, who also captained English Premiership side Bolton Wanders stated that while the rest of the world would be looking out for the exceptional displays of FIFA Baloon d’ Or winner, Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal and Argentina’s Lionel Messi, he is hoping a new star would be discovered.
“The World Cup would see a great deal of stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Iniesta and many others but I would glad to see that a new star is discovered at the World rather than the usual suspects.”
He said he felt proud of the opportunity that Western Union gave him in having a feel of the proper Europa Cup which he didn’t win during his playing days but is very glad that his fans in Franfurt came out in their hundreds to see him. “I’d thought of seeing many older people who were my fans when I played but the largest number were youths who came to show me love.”
Though, he admitted that one of his big regrets was a failure to win the coveted CAF Player of the Year prize when finished as runner-up to Mustapha Hadji and Samuel Eto’o in 1998 and 2004 respectively, despite being the favourite to take home the award on those occasions, he says he remains fulfilled.
“I definitely regret not winning the CAF Player of the Year award. I hoped to win while I was a professional but thing don’t always go your way. My source of pride, regardless of what happened with CAF, is that I got awards and recognition from others asides CAF.”
However, Okocha conceded that he might have not won it, because of the abundance of playing talent in his time.
“My generation had a lot of great footballers and the competition was very high. I feel privileged to have played in the same period as some of these greats and if I did not win the award, it is because someone else did,” Okocha said.
“Saying I don’t regret not winning the CAF Player of the Year award will be a lie but a bigger regret is that I cannot come out of retirement to try again!”
-The Sun News
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