[Kwame_Toronto]

Saturday rant

The BBC names Okocha 2004 African Footballer of the Year...in April 2005!! Okocha wins the award for the second year running. OK, so where was Samuel Eto'o in this farce of an award....and Martins...and Drogba...Essien....Trabelsi... Oh wait, none of these guys featured in the EPL in 2004 (except DD, who just joined in August). I'll give Okocha this, he's very exciting to watch and I admire his skills and tricks. He's a great passer, dribbler and ummm and, well, he's a great passer and dribbler. Rewind to last season's Carling Cup semi-final where he scored a brace against Aston Villa, one being a beauty of a FK and you'll reacognise the talent that is Jay Jay Okocha.

But but come on, what did he do in 2004? What dizzying heights of greatness did he take Bolton to in the EPL/Europe? His team finished 8th in the EPL. Bolton came close to making it to the UEFA Cup but lost in the Carling Cup Final to Middlesborough. Desire Job had a better game as a sub than Okocha did as a starter. And on the international stage, I did not see the Super Eagles hoisting the ACN in mid-February. So, what did JJ do in 2004??? In 2003, I actually wanted JJ to win the CAF award over Eto'o and I felt he deserved it. Don't ask why, perhaps, I overlooked Eto'o's contribution in the Confed CUp and his brilliance at Real Mallorca. Of course you knew when CAF delayed it's decision for 2003 POY from January 2004 to summer (slight exag. here) and changed the venue of the awards ceremony to Cameroun that Eto'o was a sure winner. But, I digress.

A few days later the BBC has a more farcical opinion poll "Is Okocha the best African Footballer ever?".

Huh!!!!! This was surely posted on April 1st!! The same site that proclaimed Roger Milla the player of the past millenium (say it slowly m-i-l-l-e-n-i-u-m) is now running a poll barely 5 years into the new century asking readers if Okocha is the best ever. And you should read some of the responses, you wonder what tinted super-eagled-Bolton glasses these football fan(atics) wear to watch games, if at all they do. In one breath I'll give you these names: Milla, Abedi Pele, Weah, Youssouf Fofana, Diouf (oops, typo), J-A Bell, Nkono, Belloumi, Madjer. Phew!

So wait, Okocha is better than Weah, who was voted the World FOY!!
Come on BBC, do your job. In the words of an illustrious statesman, you're either with us.....

/rant over

 

[Prince-O]

Good post, enjoying read.

He didn't do much in 2004, that's obvious. I think he had his best year in 2k3, but last year it could only be between Eto'o and DD.

I do think that Jay-Jay is the best African player ever though, with exception of George Weah, who is still miles above Okocha. Roger Milla was good, but not better than Okocha. He was lucky to be very succesful with the Lions at World Cups, but his club career wasn't that impressive.

 

[Umarnino]

I agree with you Kwame, I think it's the bbc's short sightedness not even monitoring the other players but probably just bringing up the random name they know.

 

[megapro]

Re: Jay Jay and the Beeb

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Kwame,

I think jay jay deserved to be named the bbc african footballer of the year for many reasons.

1. In a year that has the ACN, The best player of the tournament has a great advantage over the others. jay jay was named the best player, posted by a mile the best performance, scored more goals than his fellow contender eto'o (drogba and mcarthy did not surface) and captained his team to the bronze medal.

2. jay jay was penciled by the sportswriters of england among the top 5 players in the premiership 2004.

3. jay jay is the first player to captain a team in britain(2003-2004). previous AFY´s like weah, hadji, kanu diouf etc never achieved this rare feat.

4. jay jay led an unfancied bolton to eufa cup standing for the 1st time in thier history with fellow players like campo and nolan, as well as league cup final!

5. I give less credibility to the CAF voting of the same award. World soccer mag. reports that only 27 out of 54 national associations voted. The francophone connection saw that drogba and eto'o came before jay jay. Countries like ghana and nigeria claimed that the voting fax never got through to them.

6. The CAF thing has been a hoax over the years. Kuffuor was cheated 3x. Jayjay was robbed (1998) and Ikpeba!! was a winner(1997).

Regarding the best player ever? no idea. but will suggest that he is the most skillfull ever. pele claimed in 94 ''here is my football son''.
Unlike weah, abedi pele and fofana, who never attended the greatest stage (world cup) jay jay has been entertaining the world with his sublime skills for the past 12 years and it seems his game is still developing.
The best goal ever scored in the history of the bundesliga was scored by jayjay in nov 93.

The 2005 award should nevertheless go to samuel eto'o.