Jay-Jay Okocha reveals how club choices hinder his African best award chance

Austin Jay-Jay Okocha has revealed the reason why he did not play for top European clubs and how it affected his chances of winning the CAF Player of the Year Award during his active days.

Notorious for entertaining fans with his mesmerizing displays on the pitch, the 49-year-old star is regarded as one of the greatest football exports from the African continent, being regarded as one of the greatest dribblers of all time.

The former Super Eagles captain enjoyed a football career that spanned across multiple leagues domestically and internationally over a decade, featuring in the Bundesliga, Turkish Süper Lig, French Ligue 1, English Premier League, EFL Championship, and Qatar Stars League before his retirement in 2008.

However, Okocha who won the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) title with Nigeria in 1994 did not win any African Footballer of the Year award despite his huge talents and a near-20-year career.

Okocha, who only won the Atatürk Cup with Fenerbahce as well as the Trophée des Champions and UEFA Intertoto Cup with Paris Saint-Germain revealed that his club choices may have hindered his chances.

“I would have loved to win the African Footballer of the Year during my days,” Okocha said on Arise TV.

“Maybe I was in the wrong club at that time. It is one award I would have loved to win; it was not easy for an African player to play for top clubs because they don’t pay high wages.

“When they offer you a contract, the money is small because they see it as doing you a favour. That is why I went for clubs that are ready to pay me higher; I go for the higher bidder.

“I had to turn down some offers from big clubs because of wage issues. But things have changed now, as Africans and Nigerians get bigger football contracts overseas.”