National Daily

‘Jay Jay is in a class of his own’

Members of Nigeria's senior soccer side, the Super Eagles, and a number of the best legs in African football, including former internationals, converged in Warri, Delta State, at the weekend to honour one of the continent's most gifted players ever, Austin Okocha. Some of the stars who spoke in different interviews with DIPO OKUBANJO were unanimous in their assertions that it will be difficult to find another player like the former Eagles captain. Excerpts:

Osaze Odemwingie
AS a teammate he's a great guy to work with. He has a lot of will to win and he is a hard working guy. He has helped me a lot and I'm always confident in my career so far since I started playing with him.I have it in my mind that I've played with big players like him and am not really intimidated anytime I go out to play against big teams.So I feel great the more I have the opportunity to play with him in the same team. So, he really helped a lot of young players, that's why I'm here today to say thank you to him the way I can. We hope Nigerian coaches will give us another player like Jay Jay. Everyone says he is the king, he is one of the best players in the world, he's even recognised by people who don't know much about football and the whole world knows that he is at the level of his own and that you can only see his type once in a long period.

John Fashanu
It's nice to be honouring a great legend who on his day is one of the most skillful players in the world. I assure you , and I'm happy that the state recognised him. There is never a right time and never a wrong time, it's what you are feeling. If a player himself wants to quit it's the right time. You can never find a replacement. You can find an alternative but you can't find a replacement for Jay Jay. You can't find a replacement for somebody like that. Those wonderful...oh the ball goes up, goes down, bends, feints. Very few players in the world could do that. If Jay Jay is coming at you, there are very few players I can say I don't know what he is going to do and I include Ciristiano Ronaldo in there. Oh he's in a class of his own.

Victor Anichebe
It's been a great day. It's a great honour to be invited to the testimonial of a player as great as Jay Jay Okocha. It's Jay Jay's day today, it's also a great day for the players, we respect Jay Jay a lot and it's an honour to be here today.I hope to as great a player. I've played with a great player like Kanu and I am playing today with Jay Jay Okocha so they are the kind of players young players want to emulate. I don't know what the future holds for Okocha but whatever he is going to do I know he's going to do a great job.

Alloy Agwu
This is simply awesome, it's a life fulfilled, a career fulfilled. He started it and he ended it on a very good note without injury, all by himself he decided, not that any circumstances made him to stop. He decided that he wants to retire. It's a thing that calls for celebration and that's why we are here today. For sure the nation will miss him. Ever since he stepped out of the national team the national team miss Okocha, everybody misses him.We have wonderful players around us, but to fit into Jay Jay's shoes we are talking about what Jay Jay does, I can't vouch for that.

Taribo West
It's a phenomenal time to reappraise all the past memories and all the good times that we had together. Jay Jay to us is more than a friend, he is a brother and we have had a lot of time to share, good moments...I'm very happy on this occasion, right time Nigeria recognise and learn to appreciate men who who have brought honour to this country and made Nigeria proud. It's a good thing to happen to Jay Jay and am impressed by what the Delta State Government has done. I believe that this would be an eye-opener to all other state governments in this country. I think Jay Jay is a player not only Nigeria is going to miss,but Africa for a very long time.He is a wonderful man, somebody who has a very sweet heart, somebody you will love to associate with. On the field he is exceptional, outside he is a great man. For me, he is the best player I have ever played with in my life.

John Utaka
I think he has been a fantastic inspiration to everybody. He has done very well in Africa and he has inspired lots of young players looking up to him, I mean he has been there for all of us. He has done very well for the national team. So, I think what he did today he deserves our support. I think he can still continue to play but it's a personal thing. We are missing him in the national team, he has been a fantastic player, we know what he is capable of doing and we all miss him.