Cybereagles

I have noticed that Okocha seems to be more recognized than Kanu in international football circles since they both retired. Despite Kanu being the one who played for more glamorous clubs and won more titles, Jayjay is the one with the higher public profile. Currently Jayjay is in Russia as a FIFA Ambassador to commission the fans park for the Confederations Cup and Last week was in Bahrain again for the FIFA congrss and involved in a photoshoot with Maradona, Ronaldinho and Valderamma.
Why is Kanu, who is equally a legend excluded from these projects?

I wouldn't say Kanu has a lesser public profile .. Okocha being in the limelight doesn't diminish Kanu's status by one iota....

Remember this ..

[/video]

Kanu has never been comfortable in the spotlight, and maybe organisations (like FIFA) recognise that trait in him, and leave him alone...

You'd never find Kanu doing punditry on TV, even as he would have been miles better than most of the current football analysts...(noting how cerebral he was as a player)

The dude just prefers performing behind-the-scenes as he is quietly working with his heart foundation.
That foundation is doing so much for dozens of people, yet you won't hear Kanu bleating about it.

That's Kanu.

JJ apparently doesn't mind the spotlight. So organisations flock to him...

Being in the spotlight, or not, neither adds or diminishes Kanu or JJ...

Kanu na local man, Jay Jay is a Coal City boy. I think Jay Jay shades it in terms of raw ability, Kanu was a bit more cerebral. The other thing is that Kanu was mainly a bit-part player at the major clubs he played. While Jay Jay was the captain and main man at Bolton and at a stage the main man at PSG too. England also influences how the world sees you in football. Okocha became a household name in England b/c he had star quality and things like that dance with Big Sam.

cic old boy wrote:Kanu na local man, Jay Jay is a Coal City boy. I think Jay Jay shades it in terms of raw ability, Kanu was a bit more cerebral. The other thing is that Kanu was mainly a bit-part player at the major clubs he played. While Jay Jay was the captain and main man at Bolton and at a stage the main man at PSG too. England also influences how the world sees you in football. Okocha became a household name in England b/c he had star quality and things like that dance with Big Sam.

I KPOM this.

cic old boy wrote:Kanu na local man, Jay Jay is a Coal City boy. I think Jay Jay shades it in terms of raw ability, Kanu was a bit more cerebral. The other thing is that Kanu was mainly a bit-part player at the major clubs he played. While Jay Jay was the captain and main man at Bolton and at a stage the main man at PSG too. England also influences how the world sees you in football. Okocha became a household name in England b/c he had star quality and things like that dance with Big Sam.

CIC, I be Coal-City boy, but this your yarn get loopholes o...

Make we talk true, Kanu was a household name in England before JJ o...1999 Kanu was already hugging the pages of GQ Social Diary spreads...his so-called Size 16 boots was a regular pub topic...

You might argue JJ's popularity ultimately edged Kanu, but abeg, no use that as reason for JJ's apparent current higher public profile...

cic old boy wrote:Kanu na local man, Jay Jay is a Coal City boy. I think Jay Jay shades it in terms of raw ability, Kanu was a bit more cerebral. The other thing is that Kanu was mainly a bit-part player at the major clubs he played. While Jay Jay was the captain and main man at Bolton and at a stage the main man at PSG too. England also influences how the world sees you in football. Okocha became a household name in England b/c he had star quality and things like that dance with Big Sam.

This is rubbish conclusion.

JJ's man, Pinnick, is part of the decision making body in FIFA now so JJ is enjoying the benefits associated with Pinnicks position. You just need to track JJ's role with the NFF since Pinnick became President and you will see it. Kanu and to a lesser extend Yobo are the only bonafide legend of Nigerian fooball. JJ is popular for his entertainment.

Both are legend period,Sad Kanu was not ready in 94 to help Nigeria likely win the world cup.if they had beat Italy the world cup would have likely come to Africa that team was loaded period.
Jay Jay is popular in the world than Kanu,its just how it is.

Dammy wrote:I have noticed that Okocha seems to be more recognized than Kanu in international football circles since they both retired. Despite Kanu being the one who played for more glamorous clubs and won more titles, Jayjay is the one with the higher public profile. Currently Jayjay is in Russia as a FIFA Ambassador to commission the fans park for the Confederations Cup and Last week was in Bahrain again for the FIFA congrss and involved in a photoshoot with Maradona, Ronaldinho and Valderamma.
Why is Kanu, who is equally a legend excluded from these projects?

The wider world of football fans recognize the talent/skill of both players, but I suspect they associate Okocha more with Nigeria/Eagles, and Kanu more with Arsenal. Where political and/or commercial tokenism requires the presence of players who symbolize their countries in the global fans' eyes, the organizers call Okocha.

1naija wrote:JJ's man, Pinnick, is part of the decision making body in FIFA now so JJ is enjoying the benefits associated with Pinnicks position. You just need to track JJ's role with the NFF since Pinnick became President and you will see it. Kanu and to a lesser extend Yobo are the only bonafide legend of Nigerian fooball. JJ is popular for his entertainment.

Okocha's profile predates Pinnick, and frankly nobody in the world knows or cares who Pinnick is. And meaning no disrespect to Yobo's status as a retired captain and an international with 100 caps .... but 34 of Nigeria's 36 states wouldn't invite him to launch anything, much less the wider world. I am just saying.

EA sports also created a legend card for JayJay

When your name is JayJay an easy name that does not appear to be universally friendly, and you have those magical dribbles that people can remember long after even if they cannot recollect anything after about the game, and you have one of the biggest and warmest smiles ....you have a brand that is marketable for as long as you live.

The Eagle wrote:

Dammy wrote:I have noticed that Okocha seems to be more recognized than Kanu in international football circles since they both retired. Despite Kanu being the one who played for more glamorous clubs and won more titles, Jayjay is the one with the higher public profile. Currently Jayjay is in Russia as a FIFA Ambassador to commission the fans park for the Confederations Cup and Last week was in Bahrain again for the FIFA congrss and involved in a photoshoot with Maradona, Ronaldinho and Valderamma.
Why is Kanu, who is equally a legend excluded from these projects?

The wider world of football fans recognize the talent/skill of both players, but I suspect they associate Okocha more with Nigeria/Eagles, and Kanu more with Arsenal. Where political and/or commercial tokenism requires the presence of players who symbolize their countries in the global fans' eyes, the organizers call Okocha.

1naija wrote:JJ's man, Pinnick, is part of the decision making body in FIFA now so JJ is enjoying the benefits associated with Pinnicks position. You just need to track JJ's role with the NFF since Pinnick became President and you will see it. Kanu and to a lesser extend Yobo are the only bonafide legend of Nigerian fooball. JJ is popular for his entertainment.

Okocha's profile predates Pinnick, and frankly nobody in the world knows or cares who Pinnick is. And meaning no disrespect to Yobo's status as a retired captain and an international with 100 caps .... but 34 of Nigeria's 36 states wouldn't invite him to launch anything, much less the wider world. I am just saying.

So was JJ being invited to entertain at half time of FIFA shows before Pinnick? You can be in denial about the impact Pinnick has had on Nigeria football the short time he has been in power but JJ appreciates it. As with the yobo comment, we will all ignore it as the whole knows its rubbish.

Bigpokey24 wrote:EA sports also created a legend card for JayJay

My friend go and get a job. You are 52 for Christ sake.

1naija wrote:

Bigpokey24 wrote:EA sports also created a legend card for JayJay

My friend go and get a job. You are 52 for Christ sake.

not close to 52 many double digits years ahead , but when i reach there if it is the will of the Lord, i go celebrate

You guys just don't like to tell the truth. Okocha was on another level from Kanu. This na fact.

kolinzo wrote:You guys just don't like to tell the truth. Okocha was on another level from Kanu. This na fact.

Really? I no gree, even though I will pick Okocha over Kanu but they were relativity both great players (These are GOAT-type guys). Okocha, however, created dribbles that were never previously used by any one. He was that inventive. Kanu did not create special dribbles but he was a great player in his own right. He was the star of the Olympic gold won by Nigeria. Okocha's big stage was the WC of 1998 and then the CAN of 2004.

Enugu II wrote:

kolinzo wrote:You guys just don't like to tell the truth. Okocha was on another level from Kanu. This na fact.

Really? I no gree, even though I will pick Okocha over Kanu but they were relativity both great players (These are GOAT-type guys). Okocha, however, created dribbles that were never previously used by any one. He was that inventive. Kanu did not create special dribbles but he was a great player in his own right. He was the star of the Olympic gold won by Nigeria. Okocha's big stage was the WC of 1998 and then the CAN of 2004.

Comparing under age, Olympic, with senior team. In that case Oruma and others shd be listed, after all Oruma was the start of the 93 u-17. On the other hand, Amokachi was the naija best player of the Olympic 96. Kanu was anonymous for most part of the competition but scored two wonderful goals against Brazil just like Babayaro, who scored two wonderful goals in the competition.

You can't even compare the two. Okocha created an impact in all the clubs he played for. I can't remember watching a game of jay jay were he did not dominate and boss the Midfield! Kanu on the other hand was always a substitute player who didn't contribute much to the team. I think he had just one or two good seasons in his whole carrier. He didn't do much for the eagles either. Playing 9 tournaments and failing to score one single goal!

I think Kanu lacked in terms of physique, yes his height would appear to be imposing, but bobo was very frail (the heart issue probably contributed).

In his last days with the SE, Okocha still looked like he could keep going! However, in his last days with the SE (yes I remember quite well), although Kanu was the most cerebral on the pitch, he seemed very lethargic.

If Kanu had explosiveness in his game and strength, he would be in the top 5 African players of all time and Okocha would be no match for him.

He was only a bit part player IMO because of that. He reads the game much better than Okocha. When you have that type of intelligence you don't need the ability of an Okocha.

but due to his tameness, I will say that has allowed Okocha to pip him.

1naija wrote:

cic old boy wrote:Kanu na local man, Jay Jay is a Coal City boy. I think Jay Jay shades it in terms of raw ability, Kanu was a bit more cerebral. The other thing is that Kanu was mainly a bit-part player at the major clubs he played. While Jay Jay was the captain and main man at Bolton and at a stage the main man at PSG too. England also influences how the world sees you in football. Okocha became a household name in England b/c he had star quality and things like that dance with Big Sam.

This is rubbish conclusion.

JJ's man, Pinnick, is part of the decision making body in FIFA now so JJ is enjoying the benefits associated with Pinnicks position. You just need to track JJ's role with the NFF since Pinnick became President and you will see it. Kanu and to a lesser extend Yobo are the only bonafide legend of Nigerian fooball. JJ is popular for his entertainment.

Vincent Enyeama nko?

Okocha was one of the last dying breeds of the classic Number 10, you talk about the Zidanes, Ronaldinho, okocha, only thing lacking in his career was he applied discipline quite late, if he had the discipline he displayed at Bolton a couple years back, he would have played for the likes of Barca, united, real madrid

marko wrote:Okocha was one of the last dying breeds of the classic Number 10, you talk about the Zidanes, Ronaldinho, okocha, only thing lacking in his career was he applied discipline quite late, if he had the discipline he displayed at Bolton a couple years back, he would have played for the likes of Barca, united, real madrid

I dont think he did not play for likes of Manu and Barca has anything to do with discipline. Even at Bolton he could have still play for big club,its boil down to luck and been Afrixa alot goes against you.If he was Brazilian trust me after psg he would have been in clubs like Real and Milan with a world record fee.

...make una stop the compare, dem both are accomplished players. Everybody can't be on top, in the limelight, headlines everyday etc. Person or persons wey dey ask, why dem no be president of Nigeria