Former Super Eagles captain, Austin Jay Jay Okocha, has revealed the rationale behind his decision to retire from active football, saying it was lack of enough playing time.
The ex-Nigeria international, who dazzled with his sizzling skills and breathtaking dribbles, made the shocking decision to leave the game in 2008.
According to the Olympic Gold medallist, reduced minutes on the pitch of play triggered his exit from the round leather game at the age of 34.
Okocha states, “I must confess that [not getting a lot of playing time] was one of the main reasons why I retired from playing at a very young age.
“I believe that it is not worth it to train from Monday to Friday just to have 20 minutes on the pitch or sit on the bench on Saturday. I am very competitive.”
The midfielder, who last represented Nigeria in 2006, appeared for the Super Eagles 75 times with 14 goals to his name.
However, Austin Okocha says he is a sad man in retirement. Despite his many achievements playing soccer for Nigeria and some top European clubs, in a career spanning over a decade, Okocha, who is 40 plus, has one particular regret that leaves him in tears when he flashes back at his illustrious time spent on the green turf.
The one thing that the former Bolton Wanderers captain regrets the most is his failure to win the African Footballer of the Year’ award, an award that was won by former compatriots likes Nwankwo Kanu and Victor Ikpeba.
Known for his step-overs, skill and technique, he made his official Eagles debut in a 1994 World Cup qualifier against Ivory Coast in May 1993. They lost 2-1. It was not until his second cap that he became a favourite with the Nigerian supporters. With Nigeria trailing the Desert Foxes of Algeria 1–0 in a match they needed to win, he scored from a free kick to equalise, before helping the team to a 4–1 win, eventually securing qualification to their first ever World Cup.
In 1994, he was a member of both the victorious 1994 African Cup of Nations and the World Cup team, who made it to the second round.
“I was always an ambiguous player during my active days, and winning the Atlanta ’96 Olympics soccer gold for Nigeria was my greatest achievement. But my personal ambition to win the ‘African Footballer of the Year’ award eluded me twice at the time I was at the peak of my career. After winning the BBC African Footballer award on those two occasions, I was optimistic of crowning it with CAF award, but the rest is history because I had to move on with my life. It remains the greatest regret that I have”, recalls Okocha.