Download Best Of Okocha |VERIFIED|
Trisha Sotiriou
"I remember I was watching him when I was at school, he is one of the greatest players, one of those guys who opened the way for us, those guys who were playing at that time and you could see Ronaldinho on the bench, he was up there, he was one of the best and am happy to see him play, his skill level was great, I saw him in the World Cup with Nigeria."
"When you go to Nigeria you talk about Jay-Jay Okocha, even the whole world everybody knows him [laughs], that guy is just crazy, he is crazy when it comes to skills, I think he is one of the best have seen, with the ball on his feet, his technique, and ability," he added.
It was the first real glimpse of a talent that would go on to entertain the football world for the next decade or so. In England, Okocha is best known for his time at Bolton Wanderers, when he was good enough to grace the Premier League with his extraordinary flair.
The presence of Kahn adds to the power of the story, of course. Back then, he was an uncapped young goalkeeper yet to move to Bayern Munich let alone be named the man of the match in a Champions League final or the world's best goalkeeper three times over.
After an incredible 2022/2023 Premier League season, SuperSport unveiled the ultimate Africa XI as voted for by fans, covering the first 30 years of amazing PL action.Super Eagles and Arsenal Football Club legend, Kanu Nwankwo, former Chelsea midfielder, Mikel Obi and former Bolton Wanderers and Super Eagles captain, Jay Jay Okocha, were included in the greatest Africa XI in the world's most popular league. The list was announced by SuperSport, the official broadcast rights owner of the Premier League in Africa, at a Gala Night in Lagos on Thursday. Premier League Africa XI was voted by football fans across Africa, as part of activities marking the 30th anniversary celebration of the Premier League.MAHREZ, MANE, SALAH, DROGBAOther African Premier League legends on the list are former Arsenal defender, Kolo Toure; former Chelsea goalkeeper, Edouard Mendy; Manchester City winger, Ryad Mahrez; Chelsea legend, Michael Essien; former Liverpool striker, Sadio Mane; Liverpool winger, Mohamed Salah; Chelsea legend, Didier Drogba and Manchester City legend, Yaya Toure. Speaking on the essence of Premier League Africa XI project, CEO Designate, SuperSport, Rendani Ramovha said: "It has been an amazing journey. To have a partnership of 30 years with the Premier League and bringing the trophy to Lagos is special. It has been twelve months of consistency. Our core objective is to be obsessed with the fans. Our objective at SuperSport is to impact people's lives through sports. This is about giving the fans a voice and they have made their choice. All I feel about this is gratitude."Between March 24 and June 30, a 30-man list was presented to football fans across Africa to vote for their best African footballers to have graced the EPL, on SuperSport website. Players with the highest number of votes were announced as Premier League's greatest Africa XI.Advertisement
It is the passion for service. As you are aware, seven years ago, I was one of those, apart from Obielum that started our quest for aspiration as the next governor of Delta State to take over from James Ibori. Fortunately and unfortunately, Emmanuel won and his tenure would expire in 2015. After due consultation with my friends and associates, I decided to declare and offer myself as also one of the candidates or aspirants or whatever nomenclature you think for the position of the governor of Delta State. Right now, as you are aware, INEC has not lifted the ban on politics, so what we are doing now is consultation and I have been meeting with various stakeholders and opinion leaders repositioning myself with what I stand for which is what I called my road map to Government House in order that they will best judge among others who is the right person to lead Delta State beyond oil in 2015 or whenever the whistle is blown for the electioneering to start. In a nutshell, that is the reason.
I am not offering myself because I from Delta North (Anioma nation). I am running for the governor because I believe I have the capacity to succeed the incumbent but people say that there is understanding. That understanding should be looked into. If providence and destiny made it such that somebody from central emerged for eight years and after that providence and destiny made somebody from south to emerge as governor, I am asking also that the same providence and destiny should also make it possible for somebody in the north to emerge in 2015. But outside equity and fair play, I believe that this state should be ruled by the best. First of all let that providence play it role and after that let it be thrown open and the best should emerge because that is the only way we can grow a healthy state.
Let individuals come forward and tell us what they can do and not just shouting the party slogan and manifesto. It is healthy that we have over 15 aspirants but journalists should scrutinise us so that before the primaries the number would reduce to about three. Let me emphasise that I am not running because I am from Delta north, much as I believe that we have some understanding that whatever process made it possible for James to emerge in Delta central and for Emma to emerge in Delta south, I think it is only fair that whatever process that made it possible should also make it possible for anybody from Delta north to emerge. However, let me make it clear that I am not an ardent advocate that power must shift because it is the turn of the north. I believe that the north has the best and the brightest that would give this state the best leadership that it deserves.
After eight years I will not be poor but I would have retired because I am on my way to retirement. I am 62, in three years time I will be 65, technically I would have retired. So the business I had run for 34 years, which my children have inherited, should pension me. Besides, sometimes I bring them business ideas and ask them to pay me as consultant. When a manager does not manage well, his resources dwindle. I am a manager and I manage well. Our biggest problem is that 90 per cent of our politicians do not have employment outside politics and in the era of uncertainty, they are thrown out. That is not life, any politician who cannot leave office on Friday and resume in his personal office on Monday and be earning a living is not qualified to be in politics. When that is done, it will attract the best in politics; it will not be a do-or-die affair. It is a do-or-die affair because your breakfast, lunch and dinner are in politics. You never had a car until you became a political office holder; you never built a house until you became a political office holder; you never married until you became a political office holder. So, you are living in the past and by the time you get to the present, the four years are over and you will end up not serving the people because you used the period to resurrect yourself economically. That is why antecedent matters a lot in this governorship race. I always classify myself as a manager of resources and not like the typical politician who had no other job.
Goalkeeper: Jose Luis Chilavert, Paraguay Defenders: Marcel Desailly, France; Lilian Thuram, France; Frank de Boer, the Netherlands Midfielders: Edgar Davids, the Netherlands; Ariel Ortega, Argentina; Dunga, Brazil; Zinedine Zidane, France Forwards: Davor Suker, Croatia; Ronaldo, Brazil; Brian Laudrup, Denmark Honorable mention: GK Edwin van der Sar, the Netherlands; GK Fabien Barthez, France; D Celso Ayala, Paraguay; MF Jay-Jay Okocha, Nigeria; MF Sunday Oliseh, Nigeria; MF Rivaldo, Brazil; F Christian Vieri, Italy; F Marcelo Salas, Chile; F Luis Hernandez, Mexico. Biggest Surprises Mexico, Paraguay and Croatia. The first two seemed headed for the exit before the tournament even started, but Mexico rediscovered its soul, used three straight comebacks to tie the Netherlands for a group title and nearly upset Germany in the round of 16. Paraguay, an unsophisticated defensive side, beat out highly rated Spain and 1994 semifinalist Bulgaria to advance, then took France to double overtime. As for Croatia, don't let the rookie tag fool you. Despite being from a new country, the Croatian players are well seasoned in the top European pro leagues. They finished second in an easy first-round group, then upset Romania and Germany to advance to semifinals. Biggest Disappointments Spain, Belgium and United States. The Spaniards, considered outside threats to win the championship, never fully recovered from their opening loss to Nigeria. The Belgians, historically consistent if unspectacular, failed to advance past the first round for the first time in 28 years; the regressing Americans had one goal, no wins, no points, no plan. Best Team Not to Advance Morocco. Second-best African team deserved better. Worst Round-of-16 Team Chile. Advanced with three ties and then was routed by Brazil, 4-1. Best Group E. Round-of-16 berths for the Netherlands and Mexico weren't determined until final seconds on next-to-last day of first-round play. Worst Group C. France coasted past novices South Africa and Saudi Arabia and did just enough to beat Denmark. Players Nearing Stardom England F Michael Owen, Brazil MF Denilson, Romania F Adrian Ilie, Germany MF Dietmar Hamann, Yugoslavia MF Dejan Stankovic. Players Gracefully Defying Age Germany D Lothar Matthaeus (37), Scotland GK Jim Leighton (39). Best Matches Brazil 3, Denmark 2; Argentina 2, England 2 (PKs); Nigeria 3, Spain 2. Worst Matches Paraguay 0, Bulgaria 0; Italy 1, Norway 0; Netherlands 0, Belgium 0. Zzzzzzz. Unsung All-Stars France MF Emmanuel Petit, Italy MF Luigi Di Biagio, the Netherlands MF-F Phillip Cocu, Mexico MF Jesus Arellano, Brazil MF Cesar Sampaio, Denmark MF Martin Jorgensen, Morocco F Salaheddine Bassir, U.S. MF Frankie Hejduk, Tunisia GK Chokri Ouaer, Iran MF-D Mehdi Mahdavikia, Cameroon GK Jacques Songo'o. Best Goals Michael Owen's spectacular run against Argentina; Sunday Oliseh's 30-yard volley to lift Nigeria over Spain; Argentina's perfectly executed free kick against England; Mexico F Cuauhtemoc Blanco's side-footed volley against Belgium. Long Way for Almost Nothing Thousands of Japanese fans made the trip for their country's first World Cup and saw three losses, one goal. Then again, so did the U.S. fans. Last-Minute Heroics Romania D Dan Petrescu in 90th to beat England; Mexico F Luis Hernandez in injury time to tie the Netherlands; the Netherlands MF Edgar Davids in 89th to beat Yugoslavia; the Netherlands F Dennis Bergkamp in 89th to beat Argentina; Austria D Ivica Vastic in injury time to tie Chile; Austria F Toni Polster in injury time to tie Cameroon. Best Big Venue Marseille, with 60,000-seat Stade Velodrome situated between white cliffs and Mediterranean in soccer-crazed city. Best Small Venue Montpellier's Stade de la Mosson, with modern and cozy, 35,500-seat stadium and elegant city center. (An ideal model for MLS?) Best Fans Scotland's Tartan Army. The team took first-round exit again, but its supporters spread good will and cheer (and a few unnecessary lifts of the kilt) without any drunken violence. Runners-up: Brazil, Jamaica. Worst Motivational Ploy After winning their first two games, the Romanian players dyed their hair blond. The team proceeded to tie Tunisia and get eliminated by Croatia. Worst/Best Fans England. Hooliganism returned to international soccer in the form of two days of rioting in Marseille, but most of the time the English turned each stadium into a French version of Wembley with synchronized song and unconditional support. Best Quotes Argentina's Juan Sebastian Veron, commenting on playing against England poster boy David Beckham: "He's too handsome. I don't know whether to kick him or kiss him." Italy's Christian Vieri: "Goals are like children. They are all beautiful." CAPTION: Croatia's Davor Suker runs with his country's flag after a 3-0 victory over Germany in the quarterfinal round of the World Cup. ec
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