Former Bolton Wanderers skipper, Kevin Nolan has described the star he took over the ban from at The Trotters, Austin Okocha as a player who was simply ‘unbelievable,’ with such amazing form week in, week out.
Footballlive.ng can report that Nolan went on to declare that ‘Jay Jay’ is one of the best player he had the opportunity of being on the same side with, adding that none was like the former Super Eagles captain.
Okocha spent four seasons at the Reebok with 127 Premier League appearances and 14 goals to his credit. In June 2018, the club’s fans voted him as the greatest ever Bolton player. In retrospect, Nolan, who also played for Newcastle United and West Ham United in his heyday, added that ‘The Emperor’ was outstanding and always ready to give his best for the team.
Nolan, who made 401 Premier League appearances and scored 69 goals in the top-flight, was all praises for the former midfield maestro, who he placed among his best stars in a diamond midfield formation.
The former skipper went on to praise former Bolton gaffer, ‘Big’ Sam Allardyce for luring Okocha (so good they named him twice) to Reebok Stadium from Paris Saint-Germaine of France at the peak of his career.
He declared with glee: “Jay Jay was brilliant week in, week out. He was just unbelievable not just on the things he did. “He made us better, you know he was going to do something special whenever he got the ball. He had people on the edge of their seats.
“I don’t think in the past six to eight years that we’ve witnessed what this fellow did at Bolton when he scored that famous goal against West Ham United. He kept us up.
“You could see why he played for top clubs and he could easily have continued. I think he liked life in Bolton, being the hero.
“In training he went past players. You will ask ‘where is he’, the next thing Jay Jay was gone.
“All the players Allardyce bought, none was like Jay Jay Okocha. He could do all the things Ronaldinho did at Barcelona.
“He was the Ronaldinho of Bolton. He could do whatever he wanted with the ball. – drag backs, step over, he could make the ball sleep.”
