20 Years After, Sam Allardyce Finally Reveals How He Signed Okocha For Bolton

Twenty years after signing him for Bolton Wanderers who were then campaigning in the Premier League, Sam Allardyce has explained that it was great to have Jay-Jay Okocha in his squad.

Former Super Eagles captain Austin Jay-Jay Okocha landed at Bolton Wanderers in the summer of 2002 after leaving French giants Paris Saint-Germain.

Before moving to Paris Saint-Germain in 1998, Jay-Jay Okocha had stint in Germany and Turkey and was loved by fans because of his dribbling styles of football.

Okocha's superb games made Sam Allardyce to go for his signature, but things did not initially work out until after the 2002 World Cup in Korea/Japan.

According to the report on Manchester Evening, Sam Allardyce explained that he flew to France to first discuss with Okocha over a move to the Premier League.

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Sam Allardyce's statement about Okocha

“We flew out to Paris before the World Cup. We never really got any real response in that meeting, but to our surprise after the World Cup, and after a long conversation, we went back out there and struck a deal in Charles de Gaulle airport.

"He wanted to broaden his experience in football — and in culture, if you like. He’d experienced the German way, then Turkey, then France then he wanted to come to England.''

Sunday Oliseh reveals why he never played as a striker or defensive midfielder

Earlier, Sports Brief had reported how former Nigerian international Sunday Oliseh divulged his reasons for not playing as a striker or defensive midfielder during his active days.

Oliseh, who played professionally between 1989 and 2006, is regarded as one of Africa’s best midfielders of all time and he has narrated why he did not play in a different position.

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The former Super Eagles captain featured for a number of top European clubs, including Ajax, Borussia Dortmund and Juventus.

In 1998, Oliseh was named Africa's third-best footballer by CAF. He stated that from his early days, he had always been someone who loved to provide for others on the pitch.

He told Edafe Matthew EseOghene in a special podcast.