“Absolute Talent”: Former Liverpool Star Hails Jay Jay Okocha, Recounts 2 Unforgettable Moments

“Absolute Talent”: Former Liverpool Star Hails Jay Jay Okocha, Recounts 2 Unforgettable Moments

  • Jay Jay Okocha left an indelible footprint in the English Premier League and has continued to receive praises
  • Former Liverpool star Danny Murphy, who faced the mercurial midfielder a number of times, is still amazed at his talent
  • After joining Bolton in 2002, Okocha became a household name in England with the moniker "so good they named him twice"

Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy has praised mercurial midfielder and Nigerian football legend Jay Jay Okocha.

While recounting his experience with the former Bolton Wanderers captain, Murphy acknowledged Okocha's incredible talents.

The former Super Eagles star moved to England in 2002, shortly after the FIFA World Cup in Korea and Japan.

Danny Murphy hails Jay Jay Okocha
Jay Jay Okocha proved too strong for Liverpool's Danny Murphy. Photo: Gary M.Prior.
Source: Getty Images

He left French club PSG on a free transfer that summer to join Sam Allardyce's side in the Premier League.

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In no time, Okocha became a household name at the Reebok Stadium and was famous with the moniker "so good they named him twice".

He spent four seasons in the English topflight, playing 142 matches for the club and scoring 18 goals in all competitions.

Murphy recounts experience with Okocha

Ex-England international Danny Murphy, who was at Liverpool at the time, came face-to-face with the Nigerian several times.

In a recent chat on talkSPORT, Murphy seemed amazed about two things Jay Jay Okocha did to him: Murphy said:

"He (Okocha) is the only player that I played against who did two things to me. The first one was a mix and he got round, a proper one.
"Then I thought I've got to give this fellow some respect.
"The other one he was stuck in a corner and then he scooped the ball over my head and then ge got in the other side.

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"Mehn he had all sorts and he was playing with a smile on his face. He had that freedom to try things. He's strong and he can shoot.
"He's just an absolute talent and skill, playing with that creativity."

Mikel Arteta recalls playing alongside Okocha

Legit.ng earlier reported that Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta recalled his fond moments at Paris Saint-Germain, playing alongside Jay Jay Okocha and Ronaldinho.

The French club had some of the biggest players in world football in the late 90s and early 2000s.

Nicolas Anelka, Mauricio Pochettino, Batholomew Ogbeche, and Aliou Cisse were part of the star-studded squad during the 2001/2002 season.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Babajide Orevba avatar

Babajide Orevba (Sports Editor) Babajide Orevba is a CAF-accredited Nigerian journalist, digital publishing expert, researcher, writer and TV analyst. He has covered several major football tournaments including FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, AFCON, CAF Competitions as well as grassroots competitions within Nigeria. Email: babajide.orevba@corp.legit.ng

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