http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/sports/2011/june/16/sports-16-06-2011-001.html

Kanu or Jay Jay
, Who was bigger player?
By Our reporter
Thursday, June 16, 2011


• Kanu
Photo: Sun News Publishing
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The two stars, Nwankwo Kanu and Austin 'Jay Jay' Okocha, shone very brightly in their hey days. Both of them were without any doubt, top among their peers in Nigerian football and beyond. They were skilful, intelligent, and were players who made football look so easy and enjoyable.

But the question on the lips of most football followers now that Kanu has also retired from national football like Okocha is: 'Which between the two made a bigger impact on the field of play while in active football?'

Both Kanu and Okocha won the Olympic soccer gold, captained the Nigerian national team, the Super Eagles, featured at the World Cups and of course, carved their names on the slabs of European clubs they played for.

The stars have since called time on their international career and the million-naira poser is: 'who between them made the bigger splash during their playing days.'

National team career
Okocha featured for Nigeria at the African Youth Championship in Mauritius in 1993, where the Flying Eagles crashed out in the semis. He was magical despite the team's premature exit at the championship and it was on the back of that appearance that Okocha earned a call-up to the Super Eagles.
Kanu was also in the squad to Mauritius, but he did not kick a ball. But he quickly put behind him that disappointment and teamed up with the Golden Eaglets to win the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Japan in 1995.

Okocha made his full international debut before Kanu and would go on to play a vital role as Nigeria won her second Nations Cup trophy in Tunisia in 1994 and also qualified for her maiden World Cup outing the same year. Kanu led Nigeria to win an historic Olympic football gold two years later with Okocha, three years his senior, very much part of the team.

Both players featured in three World Cups. Okocha was at the 1994, 1998 and 2002 Mundial, while Kanu played at the 1998, 2002 and 2010 editions. Nigeria's best results at the World Cup were achieved in 1994 and 1998 when the Eagles reached the second round of the tournament, meaning that Okocha enjoyed a more successful run on the biggest football platform than Kanu.

Kanu, though now is on record as the joint most capped Nigerian player along with the late Muda Lawal with 86 caps. Okocha played 73 times for the country. Though Kanu critics would say that unlike Okocha, he did not quit the national team when the ovation was loudest up to the point that a player in his mould only enjoyed a very insignificant role at both the 2010 Nations Cup and World Cup.

Club career
Without any doubt, Kanu, popularly called Papilo, enjoyed a more fulfilling career at club level than Okocha, who is known as 'Jay Jay'. He defied personal adversity to win the biggest piece of silverware on offer in Europe, the European Champions Cup (now the UEFA Champions League) with Ajax Amsterdam.

He also won the English Premier League crown with Arsenal twice, three FA Cup winners' medals, two with Arsenal and once with Portsmouth. He won the Nigeria Premier League diadem with Iwuanyanwu Nationale (now Heartland FC) of Owerri, as well as three Dutch League titles, among other honours.
The highlight of Okocha's club career was in 2004, when Bolton was beaten in the League Cup final, as he did not win anything of note with his other clubs like Paris Saint-Germain, Entracht Frankfurt and Fenerbache, all in Europe.

Individual honours
Kanu was picked as Africa's best player by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) twice in 1996 and 1999, but Okocha was never named for the award even though he came within a whisker of this individual accolade in 1998.

However, Okocha was named the BBC African Footballer of the Year in 2004 and 2005.
Kanu was also named by the Nigerian government as one of the 50 most influential citizens during the country's Golden Jubilee Independence celebrations in October last year. There was no mention of Okocha.

Off the pitch
Kanu has given back to the community through his Heart Foundation, which assists children with heart problems. Both players have also invested heavily in the Nigerian economy through their various businesses. As a Lagos businessman, Okocha, through his Jay Jay Group, has more than 100 Nigerians in its employ.

King Kanu

No-Brainer.
Kanu.
His individual awards and titles won decide it.Even the clubs he played for sef,though it might not really be an issue

King Alhaji shiek Kanu, all d way

Haba, Kanu is by far more respected world wide for his creativity, courage and humility. Okocha was a genius with the ball, arguably better on the ball than any player alive. But is contribution to the game in terms sacrifices can not be compared to that of Kanu.

kanuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

kanu was more a bigger player cos he wan more on&off the pitch. Okocha was more respected with his sublime skills. But i enjoyed Okocha style of play. I stay glued to my set when he plays cos i know he is opt to some tricks

Mr, Cork:

they both cant spek english nor read or right!!

but they are far beta than u with other language. Jay Jay speaks German, french even turkish. Kanu speaks dutch. Well maybe ur comment sounds sarcastic. But you have to give them their respect

those who say okocha is a bigger player need to have their heads examined! kanu won the champions league and was twice voted african footballer of the year - okocha never won anything  

Mr, Cork:

they both cant  spek english nor  read or right!!

One and only Mr cork

StarBoard:

No-Brainer.
Kanu.
His individual awards and titles won decide it.Even the clubs he played for sef,though it might not really be an issue

spot on

Mr Cock, they both cant speak english but I bet they are employ you and pay you salary that will change your life for the best, so whats the bullshit about english when you know its a borrowed language? Cant they speak their native language? Find better thing to talk jare. As for the topic, Kanu has achieved more than Okocha but I would say Okocha is a bigger player. Am not judging by their achievement now, am judging by what they can do with a ball when given one. Luck was only not on Okocha's side, that is what I feel but he remains the best to me

hi
i am not i need you help

Kanu all the way,

Mr, Cork:

they both cant spek english nor read or right!!

That's right my Boy , but l was 'deta-mind' and have made a  difference by touching lifes and adding values. Say! what have you done that can be counted. Village e-diot  

Okocha was named in the 100 most influential footballer of the last century alongside pele maradona, roger mila, abedi pele, zidane  by FIFA, Kanu wasnt, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_100, Okocha singlehandedly took bolton to where it was, kanu was lucky to be in a club where the likes of thiery henry, patrick veira, dennis berkamp and others played, Kanu is not known to have significantly affected the fortunes of the club he played for, As a striker kanu has never scored in the African nations cup however okocha has score in all nations club he played except 1994. Okocha is a better player, kanu was just luck to be in clubs where he won cups, why didnt he help portsmouth and west brom? in ajax he had rickaard, kluivert, overmaars, de boer brothers, he is overated

they both cant spek english nor read or right!!

But you can 'Spek' english?

indeed you can actually "Right"

Olodo!

Abeg football is the language of the world and they both speak what everybody in the world understands.

they both cant spek english nor read or right!!

See pot calling kettle black.

Speak is spelt "Speak"

See pot calling kettle black.

Speak is spelt "Speak"

Dont mind the guy. check his spelling for write "Right"

Football isnt jiust about skill, but rather your maturity and level of commitement to the game.

What kanu had going for him, was the fact that he knew what he was on the field to do, and went about achieving it. He played for this big clubs becuase they dint just see the iq behind his game, but overall contribution.

Unlike okocha, who initialy played to entertain the crowd, forgetting he needed to make meaninful contributions for his team to win, he was more of an individual player, and when he decided to start playing for the team during his days @ bolton, age and posterity where no longer on his side,



Kanu is a better player, any day anytime, cos he was and still is a more matured team player!

yakubu

Okocha all the way. anyway, that's my sentiment individual opinion because He gave me what I enjoy most in football>

This is like comparing Pele and Maradona. One got all the accolades while the other won all hearts through his sublime skills on the pitch. Kanu was a great player no doubt but the player everyone in my generation wanted to play like was Okocha. Trophies and accolades aside, Okocha was far the bigger player.

, ofcos its both of dem, dey were exceptionally gud!

Kanu won more plaudits and trophies compared to Okocha.

Kanu got some deft moves,
But Kan-U believe it,
the world seems to acknowledge Okocha more for his sheer football wizardry

Mr, Cork:

they both cant  spek english nor  read or right!!

GUY YOU ARE SICK IS ENGLISH OUR LANGUAGE

. Mr cork or whatever u call ur self, why would u chose to mke a fool of ur self, nw u are tagged the "E-diot" pele sha!
But kannnnnuuu is the man 4 me.

Everything Kanu won he won sitting on the bench,


Jay Jay had a more fulfilling career he would rather move to another club to get first team football, Kanu would rather sit on the bench and collect his money ,

Jay Jay is a Legand in Bolton!!!

papilo all the way.

kbdrim:

Okocha was named in the 100 most influential footballer of the last century alongside pele maradona, roger mila, abedi pele, zidane  by FIFA, Kanu wasnt, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_100, Okocha singlehandedly took bolton to where it was, kanu was lucky to be in a club where the likes of thiery henry, patrick veira, dennis berkamp and others played, Kanu is not known to have significantly affected the fortunes of the club he played for, As a striker kanu has never scored in the African nations cup however okocha has score in all nations club he played except 1994. Okocha is a better player, kanu was just luck to be in clubs where he won cups, why didnt he help portsmouth and west brom? in ajax he had rickaard, kluivert, overmaars, de boer brothers, he is overated

Leave sentiments.Bolton never won anything with Okocha,not even the Carling Cup final in 2004,where they lost to Middlesborough.
The most influential 100 is a subjective list.
As for your claim that Kanu was lucky to play in some of the sides he did,that is highly laughable,at best.If he wasn't that good,he would not have fit into those sides,period.Those were winning sides.Can we say JayJay with his fancy football would make any of those sides and win trophies with them?
Kanu did not score at the nations cup,but Marco van Basten,on the so-called FIFA 100,didn't score at the World Cup.George Weah,Abedi Pele never made it that far to the World Cup,yet they are also on that list as well,so what is your point exactly?And as for your lousy statement on helping Portsmouth,unless your brain is leaking like a sieve,you should remember he won the FA Cup with them just three years ago.