“That Man Made Football to Listen to Him”: What Ronaldinho Said About Jay Jay Okocha
- Ronaldinho branded Jay Jay Okocha as the man who made football listen to him, having played with the Nigerian midfielder at PSG
- Okocha dazzled with his immense skills and trickery during his prime, as many brand him as the most skillful player in the world
- The 2005 Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldinho believes Okocha did not reach his potential following his move to England
Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho believes mercurial Nigerian midfielder Jay Jay Okocha did not reach the peak of his talent following his move to English club Bolton Wanderers.
Okocha, who was 28 in 2002, moved to the Premier League after a four-year stint with Paris Saint-Germain where he scored 12 goals in 84 matches.
The former Super Eagles captain dazzled at the Reebok Stadium, where he was known after the moniker 'so good they named him twice'.
Source: Getty Images
He went on to make 142 appearances, scoring 18 goals for the Trotters in all competitions before his departure in 2006.
While at PSG, Okocha shared the midfield with Ronaldinho, where they mesmerised the Ligue 1 with incredible skills.
What did Ronaldinho say about Jay Jay Okocha?
Ronaldinho admitted that Okocha was gifted, saying the former Fenerbahce of Turkey star made football listen to him. The former Barcelona playmaker said via PM News:
“Jay Jay Okocha, wow!! That man made football to listen to him. At training, we would watch him doing a freestyle, whatever he wanted to do, the ball would do it. But his problem is that he was too keen to move to England."
“I didn’t like the decision, at least in Italy or Spain, there, they allow you to play your skilled football without interfering with your play.
“In La Liga or Serie A, he would definitely get a chance to play for a big team, because they love skilled players over there.
"In England, you stand no chance of playing for a big team if you’re that skilled. They think it’s not necessary.”
Allardyce narrates how he signed Okocha
YEN.com.gh earlier reported that Former Bolton Wanderers manager Sam Allardyce narrated the trick he used to sign superstars, including Jay-Jay Okocha, to the English club during his time in charge.
The tactician spent eight years in charge of the Trotters between 1999 and 2007 and captured the attention of the football world by signing some of the biggest stars at the time.
He turned the Lancashire side into a destination of great players, including French World Cup winner Youri Djorkaeff and Spanish legend Ivan Campo.
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