To Oga from the Big Boss

Robbynice · Post by **Robbynice** » Thu Feb 05, 2004 11:00 pm

Jay-Jay Okocha receives the award from Stephen Keshi

Okocha accepts BBC award

Nigeria captain Austin 'Jay-Jay' Okocha has been presented with the 2003 BBC African Footballer of the Year award in Tunis.
A silver trophy was handed to the Bolton star by his former team-mate and coach Stephen Keshi who is part of the BBC television coverage team at the Cup of Nations.

The skipper said he was proud to be the recipient of the honour.

"I am delighted to receive this prestigious BBC award and it has inspired me to do more," Okocha said.

"I want to thank those who voted for me on the BBC website. I think I have worked hard to be on the top and I'm going to continue working harder."

Okocha won the title after capturing more than 20,000 votes, beating Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o and Stephen Appiah of Ghana, into second and third place respectively.

Okocha wins award

Keshi said the Bolton skipper was deserving of the accolade.

"It was a good decision taken by the readers of the BBC African football website to vote Okocha as the continent's best player," said Keshi.

"I am not saying this because he is a felllow Nigerian and good friend but because he knows how to play football, he's disciplined and a team leader.

"Jay Jay is a phenomenon, I played with him at national level and also coached him, I know what he is capable of doing with the ball and I think he has achieved a lot."

Okocha is also one of three shortlisted for the 2003 Caf Player of the Year. The winner will be annouced in Yaounde on 30 April.

Previous winners of the BBC award are Ghana's Samuel Kuffour in 2001 and El Hadji Diouf of Senegal in 2002.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 462583.stm

Blakes · Post by **Blakes** » Thu Feb 05, 2004 11:03 pm

so the British media(BBC) give thier award to okocha, a player from thier former colony and the french media(FRENCH FOOTBALL) gives thier award to Eto'O , a player from thier former colony..is this coincidence?

Akamoke · Post by **Akamoke** » Thu Feb 05, 2004 11:05 pm

Congrats to JJ, I know he has deserved it for his work in Bolton and for Nigeria.

I must question why they (CAF) are awarding it now in the middle of a tournament..no complaints, just pondering

Robbynice · Post by **Robbynice** » Thu Feb 05, 2004 11:09 pm

Blakes wrote:so the British media(BBC) give thier award to okocha, a player from thier former colony and the french media(FRENCH FOOTBALL) gives thier award to Eto'O , a player from thier former colony..is this coincidence?

Correction. Oga was voted for. How duid Eto end up with the award? Why didn't they throw it open to the genral public to decide just like BBC did? :x

Akamoke · Post by **Akamoke** » Thu Feb 05, 2004 11:10 pm

Oh I didnt know it was exclusively British Broadcasting Corporation award..

Blakes, here is how I see it, the Brits see Okocha more and he has done some wonderful things in Britain so they award it to him..not saying this is right but when you consider that the same BBC names Geoff Hurst's World Cup winning goal as top ten best goals in World Cup history, you have to wonder

Shownoja · Post by **Shownoja** » Thu Feb 05, 2004 11:12 pm

Akamoke wrote:Congrats to JJ, I know he has deserved it for his work in Bolton and for Nigeria.

I must question why they (CAF) are awarding it now in the middle of a tournament..no complaints, just pondering

This is not the CAF award, this one is from the BBC.

Riche007 · Post by **Riche007** » Thu Feb 05, 2004 11:12 pm

Akamoke wrote:Oh I didnt know it was exclusively British Broadcasting Corporation award..

Blakes, here is how I see it, the Brits see Okocha more and he has done some wonderful things in Britain so they award it to him..not saying this is right but when you consider that the same BBC names Geoff Hurst's World Cup winning goal as top ten best goals in World Cup history, you have to wonder

What about Diouf? He wasnt in the EPL then...

Blakes · Post by **Blakes** » Thu Feb 05, 2004 11:16 pm

Correction. Oga was voted for. How duid Eto end up with the award? Why didn't they throw it open to the genral public to decide just like BBC did?

I see but there is still no way to validate those votes..so your saying it was strictly coincidence ? im not trying to start a conspiracy theroy or anyhing...but there has to be a reason...even if it is something as simple as the BBC website is mostly visited by english speaking Afri9cans...Or the people who voted at the BBC website are mostly people who watch the man play at bolton like Akamoke said..

Akamoke · Post by **Akamoke** » Thu Feb 05, 2004 11:35 pm

Riche007 wrote:
Akamoke wrote:Oh I didnt know it was exclusively British Broadcasting Corporation award..

Blakes, here is how I see it, the Brits see Okocha more and he has done some wonderful things in Britain so they award it to him..not saying this is right but when you consider that the same BBC names Geoff Hurst's World Cup winning goal as top ten best goals in World Cup history, you have to wonder
What about Diouf? He wasnt in the EPL then...

So was Geremi, Baba, Kanu and many others but Okocha was a delight for fans and his efforts in Bolton alone made him stand out among the others