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Okocha rising to the occasion at Bolton
By Derick Allsop (Filed: 23/03/2003)

It is, according to received football wisdom, a time to dig deep for the raw materials of human endeavour. This is a cause that calls for the battlers, the honest and the courageous; for selfless devotion, unflinching commitment and crunching tackles. There can be no place, they would have you believe, for those who indulge in the deft, the extravagant or the outrageous.

And yet Bolton Wanderers, striving for survival in the Premiership and managed by a man who as a player epitomised uncompromising defiance, are putting their faith in a Nigerian who trades in the kind of skills that should be performed only with a safety net.

Bolton have no such security and they know that if they slip off the highwire they will fall all the way to the First Division. But Sam Allardyce believes the mercurial Austin "Jay-Jay" Okocha has the repertoire to help guide them clear of danger.

Okocha, a midfield veteran of three World Cup tournaments and captain of his country in the Far East last summer, has emerged as an inspirational figure in Bolton's familiar struggle and is confounding the cynics who suspected he was here to boost his pension fund.

An astute, thoughtful man, he is conscious of the questions asked about his motivation, a scepticism compounded by a lay-off through injury sustained on his debut, in August, and the inevitable period of acclimatisation. He realises, too, that despite his goal and overall contribution to the crucial victory at Sunderland last week, he will be judged again in tomorrow's home match against Tottenham and in every one of the other seven remaining fixtures.

"I was unlucky to get injured in my first game and it was difficult for me to come back and convince them of the kind of person I am," the 29-year-old Okocha said. "I was new to the place and they expected a lot of me. I think some people were having doubts, wondering if I just came here to while away my time and take the money. I felt very bad about that. I am here to play football, not for a holiday. But at last I found myself again and was able to prove myself. Now I feel happy here and they appreciate the fact that I am giving my all in every game."

That Okocha should have found himself in Bolton at all is one of the game's curiosities. After playing for Eintracht Frankfurt, Fenerbahce and Paris Saint-Germain, he followed the advice of his international colleague, Kanu, and pursued the Premiership experience. After the top clubs failed to open their doors, he headed for a corner of Lancashire that had also attracted the French striker Youri Djorkaeff.

"I think people were surprised I came here but I made that decision because I didn't get a good offer from any big club and I didn't want to wait," he concedes. "Everybody wants to play in the Premiership and I like a big challenge. It was like a new beginning. It is tougher and more competitive than the French league."

He is equally honest in stating he has no desire to play in the First Division. But then that is not an option he cares to contemplate. "I'm not thinking about relegation," he said. "I'm just thinking about giving my all for us to stay in the Premiership. We've played some good football and it's unfortunate that we are punishing ourselves, because we have given away points in a lot of games we should have won."

Okocha's return to fitness and form has inevitably had Nigeria officials beating a path to his door, imploring him to come out of international retirement and play against Malawi in an African Nations Cup qualifying tie at the end of the month.

"I wanted to stop but they told me I was too young to stop and they're making it so difficult for me," he said. "But I will not miss any games for Bolton and I feel fit enough.

"We just have to make sure we play the last eight games in a very good way and not go down. If we stay in the Premiership then I can say, 'Yes, I am definitely glad I made the decision to come here'."

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What do you say Cat? I haven't seen him play live as of yet! TV doesn't convey the atmosphere of the occasion as well as actually being there. You can't hear crowd comments and opinions for one. Does Okocha get everyone on the edge of their seats? Is he worshipped at halftime down at the bar?

H

I have to pinch myself to make sure i'm not dreaming sometimes, he's really amazing. You know what it was like when we were top of the league for a month or so last season. Watching him play for us is like that. You find yourself thinking he should be playing agaisnt us, not for us! I think that's the general feeling around the Reebok "what the hell is he doing playing for us?!" I think there's a certain amonut of awe when he's on the ball.

I did wonder around Christmas time that all the tricks are wonderful to see but would we be better with more of another Per Frandsen player in there, but he's absolutely dispelled any of those concerns with his recent performances.

Soccer Am (Sky Sports Satruday morning football programme)have been purring over him over the past few weeks, he's been the focus on the showboating part of the programme for months. I've not seen it yet but my Mum's videio it from yesterday apparently they've got a whole feature going on him and this little tricks.

Two things that prove what a star Okocha really is for us...

1) During games when we're struggling or after we've let one in, in the last minute i find myself thinking that going down won't be so bad 'cos a least being in this league has given me the opportunity of seeing Okocha play live for a season.

2) After we played United a red came up to me in the pub and said he'd love a player of Okocha's skill to play for United. I asked him if he was taking the piss - he wasn't he was being absolutely geniune!

And the best bit of it all he seems like a really geniune good bloke. I can almost seeing him staying next season, if we stay up, and this season of struggling hasn't put him off. Here's to hoping.

Cat >^..^<

Maybe this is the time to convert to a religious path and start praying for a victory We have to believe we can do it. What's the weather like over there? In good conditions, and with a repeat of the kind of performances we've shown in recent times we CAN beat Tottenham, even if they play well.

Yesterday's results all went against us really, but Leeds lost to Liverpool and are being dragged into it. A win tomorrow will put us just 2 points behind them. West Ham have been celebrating getting out of the relegation zone for the first time this season but it seems to have escaped everyones attention that we haven't played. If West Ham go into the international fortnight out of the zone that'll be a huge psychological boost for them and a massive blow for us.

Come on you white men! We really, really need this.

Now this bodes well for JJ as the eyes of the Bolton fans are being opened to the fact that it is okay to have skill and take chances after all that is what football is about.

Glad to see the change in the English fans, yes its small but its a start.

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SAM Allardyce admits Jay-Jay Okocha has surpassed all his expectations.

The Wanderers manager believed the Nigerian World Cup star would bring individual brilliance to his side.

What he did not expect was the huge effectiveness and responsibility he has produced at the Reebok Stadium.

Allardyce is in no doubt Okocha is the most skillful player he has ever worked with.

But he had little doubt about that side of the midfielder's game when he signed him in the summer.

What has surprised him has been his massive end product which Allardyce believes would have earned him a move to one of Europe's biggest clubs had they thought he was capable of it.

"He has produced more of what we want than I thought he would when I brought him here," Allardyce admitted.

"Massive clubs have not signed him because they thought he was not effective enough or could produce enough. But I have found that is not the case at all.

"His effectiveness for the team has been huge and so has the responsibility he has taken.

"He doesn't hide. When things are not going well he produces more and does more for the team. He accepts he has a responsibility for the team and ups his levels like he did against City and against Birmingham.

"In those situations he has kicked on and produced more.

"I know the person now and he is

not just a great player but a great person and that is a very important part of his make-up.

"He accepts responsibility for himself and for others. He is not just an entertainer but a team player."

Tomorrow's trip to Stamford Bridge will see an intriguing battle of natural ability between Okocha and Gianfranco Zola.

The Chelsea veteran is arguably the most legendary foreigner ever to play in the Premiership but Allardyce believes Okocha is better, apart from one crucial department.

"Zola is a better goalscorer," said the Reebok manager. "They are different players in that Zola is a front line player and Jay-Jay is a midfielder.

"If Zola does anything better than Jay-Jay it is probably his final ball but Jay-Jay is probably better at everything else."

One area of Okocha's game Allardyce believes is potentially negative is the showboating which opposition players might interpret as mocking.

He explains: "That kind of thing is all right for the fans but maybe it is not all right for us or Jay-Jay.

"I want him to live up to his reputation as an outstanding footballer who can destroy teams with his skills and not as someone who shows off.

"To be fair it wasn't putting us in any danger but I much prefer to see his skills put to use to beat defenders and create goals.

"He was unbelievable against City.

"His skills for most of the game were a fantastic delight but showboating for me has never been in the equation as a manager or as a player. You have to be careful when you do things like he did against City because you have to look out for what is coming if you take the mickey out of other players."

Allardyce admits that pairing Okocha with another super-skilled creative force in Youri Djorkaeff is unusual in that it could leave gaps on the defensive side.

But he explains: "When you are lucky enough to sign players with the quality of those two you have to make it work."

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We'll need Jay-Jay to be on song again tomorrow as the whites go down south to take on Chelsea. This, and the Arsenal game, are two that I don't expect any points from. Any we get will be a bonus.

Chisel:

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With regards to JJ (the Jamaican version), I am quite sure that we won't see him featured regularly in the first team for the rest of the year. I am a firm believer in the fact that he is good enough to play at Bolton, but we must also realize that this club has a massive fight for survival on their hands and blending in new attacking players is not going to be a priority for the coach right now. I don't condone this type of coaching, but it is a fact of life in England. JJ will have to wait until next year...

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Apparently not Chisel, JJ was brought back into the 1st team squad last week against $hitty.. I mean City... maybe we'll see a bit more of him before this season is finished. The words of Phil Brown (assistant manager) to myself, shortly after JJ was signed, still ring in my ears: "He is definitely a talented young player and one for the future".

Respect

H