Former Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool midfielder, Danny Murphy, was chock-full of praise for ex-Super Eagles captain, Austin Jay-Jay Okocha, Soccernet.ng reports.
Okocha joined Bolton on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2002, and immediately became a cult hero at the Reebok Stadium.
So good they had to name him twice, Okocha often featured on the retro Sky Sports skill of the week, as he was a known entertainer, playing football with a smile on his face while simultaneously keeping fans on their toes.
Danny Murphy, speaking with TalkSport on the Shortlist, recalled the former Hull City attacking midfielder as the most ‘streets won’t forget’ type of player.
“He’s the only player I ever played against who did two things to me in one game. The first one was a meg. I’ve been megged by other players, but it was a lovely one and he got around. I thought, ‘Oh, I’ve dived in a bit, I’ve got to give this fella some respect. The other one, he was stuck in a corner and he scooped one over my head. He scooped it over my head and got it the other side. You know when you’re just raging. I couldn’t get near him. He always played with a smile on his face. That freedom to try things that I wouldn’t want to try in a game. And he could shoot. Just a free spirit. An absolute talent in skill, playing with that creativity,” the former England international said.
Okocha scored 18 goals across and registered 10 assists in 145 appearances for Bolton, helping the club to a place in the UEFA Cup as well as a run to the 2004 League Cup final. He moved to Qatar SC on a free transfer in 2006 before returning to England the following season, joining Hull City as a free agent.
His time at Hull signalled the beginning of the end for the talented Jay Jay, as he dealt with recurring injuries, forcing him into retirement.