Fans celebrate “Jay Jay” Okocha's 52nd birthday

Football fans in Abakaliki have felicitated former Super Eagles Captain and midfield maestro, Augustine “Jay Jay” Okocha who turned 52 on Thursday 14 August

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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that “Pa Jay” as he is fondly called especially from fans in his birth of place Enugu, played for Nigeria between 1993 and 2006.

The midfield maestro scored 14 goals for Nigeria and played for top European clubs such as Eintratch Frankfurt of Germany, Paris St. Germain of France and Bolton Wanderers of England among others.

Ikenna Odo, member of Ebonyi Football Association said that Okocha remains one of Africa’s greatest footballers whose legacies cannot be erased in football annals.

“Okocha is rated among the best dribblers and midfielders in world football with top notch skills nay entertainment inclinations.

“The midfield maestro won one Olympic Games medal, one AFCON gold, one silver and three bronze medals,” he said.

Jideofor Ibekwe, a Soccer Historian said that Okocha’s milestone in football attests to late Pele’s assertion that he is one of world’s greatest footballers.

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“Okocha scored the official 1000th goal of AFCON at Tunisia 2004 as his mesmerising dribbles on the legendary Oliver Khan in 1992, continues to be a talking point in world football.

“He won the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) African Footballer of the Year in 2003/04 and failure to clinch the CAF version of the award, continues to be a controversy in the continent’s football,” he said.

Peter Alobu, a Businessman and Soccer Buff said that the country’s inability to find Okocha’s replacement contributed to the performance decline of the Super Eagles.

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“We have failed to get Okocha’s replacement in the creative midfield role and this has greatly reduced the team’s potency in front of goal posts.

“Several efforts have been made to find a replacement and the search might continue for long,” he said.

Stella Ojibe, a Teacher and Football Enthusiast, congratulated Okocha on the milestone, noting that he continues to be a source of motivation to Nigerians especially the youths.

“I am particularly pleased with the way he managed his resources on retirement and has continued being financially afloat.

“This contrasts to the situation where several ex-internationals feed from hand to mouth and depend on public supports for survival and I love him for that,” she said

(NAN)