In our first game vs Hungary Kanu scored our only goal. In the epic semi final battle, Kanu scored 2 goals. Where was Okocha, He missed a penalty vs Brazil and was totally useless in the competition.

The last time I checked he is a midfielder Though he has scored more international goals

Didnt Kanu miss a Penalty against Cameroun in Lagos 2000? (CRUCIAL ONE)

OKOCHA PLAYED 3 WORLD CUPS AND 5 NATIONS CUP, WHAT WAS HIS IMPACT IN THOSE COMPETITION? The only nations cup we won, OKOCHA was a bench warmer.

he last 3 tournaments that Okocha didnt attent what was Kanu's contribution, he did more splitting in the eagles camp than Stephen Keshi

@Dayokanu


The main fact that you could only brag about an UNDER 23 tournment makes your point baseless!!!!!!!

How come Kanu couldnt perform in a competition on a higher lever?

vislabraye:

I have no problem with Kanu being the top list. He deserves it because of his achievements.

People saying Austin Okocha should think again. I agree is the mosyt sensational player ever, but not the greatest. He's arguable the most talented. I wonder the basis of people putting him at number 1. They say nation cups. Don't forget Emmanuel Amuneke who was explosive; he scored the winning goals against Zambia.

Another person who's probably the most under rated players is Finidi George. He won the CL for Ajax, their league cup, etc. He helped win the nation cup in 94. He had made one of the highest assists for both country and club. The problem is that he's not so flambouyant and he ened his career early. I never rembered through out his stay in Ajax or Real Betis when he was benched for one minute

T

I have told you its only ignorant or uninformed football fans that would think Okocha merits anything in football, there is a good reason why all top coaches avoid him.

After Kanu, Finidi should come next. Okocha shouldnt even be mentioned in top 10 Nigeria footballers

baby-boy:


The last time I checked he is a midfielder Though he has scored more international goals

Didnt Kanu miss a Penalty against Cameroun in Lagos 2000? (CRUCIAL ONE)

he last 3 tournaments that Okocha didnt attent what was Kanu's contribution, he did more splitting in the eagles camp than Stephen Keshi

Can you tell us one good reason why all top coaches avoided Okocha?

Frankfurt to Fenerbache to PSG to Bolton, Those are pathways for players like Opabunmi, Ogbechie etc

dayokanu:

Its easier for relegation treatened clubs to depend on useless players, At a time Portsmouth depended on Lua lua,

Would you say because Blackpool depends on Charlie Adams, that must mean he is better than Arshavin who is a sub in Arsenal?

West Ham depends on Demba Ba that must mean they are better players than Anelka/Torres who are substitutes in Chelsea?

Osaze is a regular in West brom and the team depends on him is he better than Benzema who is a substitute in Madrid

If kanu had played for those useless relegation bottom feeder clubs Okocha played for he would have been an icon too.

The worst student in Yale would be the best student in University of Katsina

Kanu was number 6 in the FIFA world player of the year 1996 and number 11 ballon D 'or. Okocha never made top 40 in his whole career.

I REPEAT, OKOCHA IS NOT FIT TO LACE KANU'S BOOTS!!!!

Dayokanu, cut this crap. Try again.

Portsmouth depended on Lua Lua?

West depends on Demba Ba?

Cut the crap!

A player being good is not the same as a player being the engine of a team.

Ridiculous!

More ridiculous to even use a situation where a player is purely good in one season.

Try again:

Tell me a time when Kanu was an indispensible product of his team between 1995 till 2011 of his career.

The mark of greatest players is clear, as their team greatly depend on them and you can hardly find a substitute. Unfortunately, Kanu was never greatly depended on throughout his career (you are free to prove me wrong) and, and rather than being someone without substitute, he actually was just usually a substitute with great ability.

Feel free to list the great players who their teams did not depend heavily on.

When you answer that, I will address all the sentimental illogicality you have put forward in other posts.

vislabraye:

I have no problem with Kanu being the top list. He deserves it because of his achievements.

People saying Austin Okocha should think again. I agree is the mosyt sensational player ever, but not the greatest. He's arguable the most talented. I wonder the basis of people putting him at number 1. They say nation cups. Don't forget Emmanuel Amuneke who was explosive; he scored the winning goals against Zambia.

Okocha is the most talented and most influential player we ever had?

Simples!

What other basis do you want to use for the greatest player? The fact a players is bit-part of a team that is successful.

Kanu was and has always been a substitute product of great players. That is why he was always a sub. Big teams do that. The need good players as back up since great players are unlikely to be happy on the bench season after season. Drogba would not spend more than a season on the bench without asking for a transfer, he is too great to be a mere sub. Kalou is happy being sub, he is merely good. Kanu was a sub with prodigous talent.

Can you tell us one good reason why all top coaches avoided Okocha?

Frankfurt to Fenerbache to PSG to Bolton, Those are pathways for players like Opabunmi, Ogbechie etc

Well since Kanu left Arsenal at the prime age of 27 years how come he could attrach a better club than West brom? Atleast I would understand if he went from Arsenal's bench to Fulham's starting 11 but to go from Arsenals bench to West Broms bench then Portsmouth bench is worrying! Kanu's teamates at Arsenal Henry went from Arsenal to Barcelona, Wiltord went to Lyon, Pires to Villereal and Kanu was bought to be Geof Horsefielld understudy at West brom. That's how they see him, In 1998 Jay Jay was a record transfer fee into the french league

Sagamite:

Dayokanu, cut this crap. Try again.

Portsmouth depended on Lua Lua?

West depends on Demba Ba?

Cut the crap!

A player being good is not the same as a player being the engine of a team.

Ridiculous!

More ridiculous to even use a situation where a player is purely good in one season.

Try again:

Tell me a time when Kanu was an indispensible product of his team between 1995 till 2001 of his career.

The mark of greatest players is clear, as their team greatly depend on them and you can hardly find a substitute. Unfortunately, Kanu was never greatly depended on throughout his career (you are free to prove me wrong) and, and rather than being someone without substitute, he actually was just usually a substitute with great ability.

Feel free to list the great players who their teams did not depend heavily on.

When you answer that, I will address all the sentimental illogicality you have put forward in other posts.

You need to cut the crap and pay more attention to football

Lua Lua was the most important player to Portsmouth some year back. Check your facts. Does that make him better than Arshavin who is a bench warmer in Arsenal?


In the later part of the season, Demba Ba was West Hams best player, Does that make him better than a benchwarmer like Benzema?

Great players whose team didnt depend heavily on?

Check the Galaticos of Madrid, Check Ballack, Deco, Shevchenko in Chelsea.

Being a BIG player in Bolton is just having the small pond effect, A tilapia would feel like the real deal in an aquarium, throw it into the Atlantic and you would see the difference.


The current Barcelona team has Masherano and dont depend HEAVILY on him, yet Mascherano is one of the best players in his position.

They have Affelay who is a Benchwarmer/Substitute, Real has benzema who is a substitute.

I repeat only uninformed football fans think OKOCHA is great, There is a reason why all top European coaches avoided him,

THEY ARE NOT STOOPIED

Sagamite:

Okocha is the most talented and most influential player we ever had?

Simples!

What other basis do you want to use for the greatest player? The fact a players is bit-part of a team that is successful.

Kanu was and has always been a substitute product of great players. That is why he was always a sub. Big teams do that. The need good players as back up since great players are unlikely to be happy on the bench season after season. Drogba would not spend more than a season on the bench without asking for a transfer, he is too great to be a mere sub. Kalou is happy being sub, he is merely good. Kanu was a sub with prodigous talent.

Bro I hate to disagree with you,for fear of being called a cretin.

When was the first time Nigeria failed to get past the first round of the World Cup?Under Okocha's captaincy
When was the first time Nigeria failed to qualify for the World Cup?Under Okocha's captaincy
When was the first time a captain missed his way to a match for the Eagles?Under the same Okocha.
How could he be the most influential player for the Eagles as some of you his defenders claim?

omar22:


Well since Kanu left Arsenal at the prime age of 27 years how come he could attrach a better club than West brom? Atleast I would understand if he went from Arsenal's bench to Fulham's starting 11 but to go from Arsenals bench to West Broms bench then Portsmouth bench is worrying! Kanu's teamates at Arsenal Henry went from Arsenal to Barcelona, Wiltord went to Lyon, Pires to Villereal and Kanu was bought to be Geof Horsefielld understudy at West brom. That's how they see him, In 1998 Jay Jay was a record transfer fee into the french league

At least Kanu won the FA Cup with a more useless Portsmouth.
What did Okocha do with Bolton,supposedly a better team in the EPL?Nothing but dance samba and lose a carling cup final in 2004.
Kill that noise.
What of the transfer fee thing?More noise.
Denilson was once the most expensive player in the World.Did he do anything apart from being a sub in 2002 for Brazil?
Stop typing Opaks here if you don't have anything to say

omar22:


Well since Kanu left Arsenal at the prime age of 27 years how come he could attrach a better club than West brom? Atleast I would understand if he went from Arsenal's bench to Fulham's starting 11 but to go from Arsenals bench to West Broms bench then Portsmouth bench is worrying! Kanu's teamates at Arsenal Henry went from Arsenal to Barcelona, Wiltord went to Lyon, Pires to Villereal and Kanu was bought to be Geof Horsefielld understudy at West brom. That's how they see him, In 1998 Jay Jay was a record transfer fee into the french league

Is this about the age a player retired/became less active or about what he did in his peak? kanu at his peak went from Ajax to inter to Arsenal

Okocha at his peak was from one relegation team to another Bolton, PSG, Frankfurt

If Messi should retire today he would still be a legend. Ronaldo Lima played his best football before the age of 25, while Zidane played his after the age of 25

Jay jay was record transfer to PSG just like Denilson was record transfer to Real Betis, Till today even after 12yrs, Denilsons transfer fee would be top 10-15 yet he cant be named among top 200 brazilian footballers.

Just like Reyes and francis Jeffers were record transfers to Arsenal in their time,

Kanu went Arsenal to West Brom yes? Rivaldo went AC Milan to Olympiakos, Ronaldinho went AC Milan to Flamengo,

FACT IS OKOCHA is a useless player.

No one can still tell us how the hundreds of top coaches never looked in Okochas way. Anyone with a trained football eyes would know OKOCHA is a circus player and never deserving to play top level pro football, He should be categorized with Denilson Mr Leg Over

dayokanu:

Being a BIG player in Bolton is just having the small pond effect, A tilapia would feel like the real deal in an aquarium, throw it into the Atlantic and you would see the difference.

GBAM!!!

Okocha:leg-over specialist,Monumental failure career-wise

dayokanu:



No one can still tell us how the hundreds of top coaches never looked in Okochas way.

Dude might have a point.

While this debate was going on, someone actually told me that Okocha was sort of forced into Westerhof's 1994 team. The word was that Westerhof didnt like his flamboyant style of football and that slows his counter attack plan dramatically. Dont know how true this is cos I know that Okocha was also an integral part of the dream team in 1996 that captured the gold.

Comparing these two legends is just very difficult and most times, sentiments takes over rather than objectivity. Talent wise, Okocha had it in bundles , just a shame that it did not translate into laurels. Kanu was very exceptional, as a starting player or as a sub, and he has the laurels to show for it. I go for Kanu.


As for ur comparison of Okocha and Denilson, I no fit talk for that one. Unless if u have something against Jay Jay( ) , U no go compare the dude to Mr flash in the pan Denilson.

That team wouldn't have won gold if Kanu didn't perform his late heroics against Brazil
Okocha sent us on the road to ruins with a lazily taken penalty.He then proceeded to laugh like nothing had happened.
Unserious oaf.

Denilson is even better.He forced his way into Brazil's world cup squad in 2002 after changing most of his game.
Okocha kept dribbling like he was still trying to impress a babe in the stands, till his career fizzled and he won nothing.

dayokanu:

You need to cut the crap and pay more attention to football

Lua Lua was the most important player to Portsmouth some year back. Check your facts. Does that make him better than Arshavin who is a bench warmer in Arsenal?


In the later part of the season, Demba Ba was West Hams best player, Does that make him better than a benchwarmer like Benzema?

You still don't get it.

Being a good player or the best player in your team DOES NOT mean the team depends on you.

Worse still, it is lame to use a player that is only good for one season.

Arsenal does not depend on Van Persie. He is there current best player. Arsenal depended on Henry!

There is a plain difference between fulcrum of the team and best player of a team.

Don't be using ridiculous examples like Demba Ba because he is good for one season.

Great players that are engine/fulcrum of a team are judged based one being one over a stretch of time. Even Yaya Toure can not qualify as fulcrum of a team at the moment. Xavi can!

dayokanu:


Great players whose team didnt depend heavily on?

Check the Galaticos of Madrid, Check Ballack, Deco, Shevchenko in Chelsea.

Deco, fulcrum of Porto and Portugal.

Ballack fulcrum of Bayern and Germany.

Shevchenko fulcrum of AC Milan and Ukraine.

What kind of examples were those? Try again.

dayokanu:

Being a BIG player in Bolton is just having the small pond effect, A tilapia would feel like the real deal in an aquarium, throw it into the Atlantic and you would see the difference.

So what kind of Tilapia was Kanu at West Brom and Portsmouth?

Why was he not a big player in the pond?

dayokanu:

The current Barcelona team has Masherano and dont depend HEAVILY on him, yet Mascherano is one of the best players in his position.

They have Affelay who is a Benchwarmer/Substitute, Real has benzema who is a substitute.

I repeat only uninformed football fans think OKOCHA is great, There is a reason why all top European coaches avoided him,

THEY ARE NOT STOOPIED

What makes Mascherano a great player. I am comfortable with you comparing Kanu to Mascherano though. Very Good but not particularly great. Okocha is slightly great, in the mold of the Decos, not Zidanes.

Okocha is never in the class of Deco.

Deco won Champions League like Kanu. How many times did Okochas team get to play CL?

Sagamite, Isnt it easier for a relegation bound team to depend on you?

Kanu at portsmouth and West Brom was at the end of his career and you shouldnt evaluate him by that. No one would evaluate ronaldinho by what he is doing in Flamengo or in AC Milan

On your team depending theory, Who does Barcelona depend on Xavi, iniesta, Messi, Villa, Pedro, Busquets, Pique or Puyol?

In the Global perspective Kanu is not a Great player, he is a good player while in the global perspective Okocha is below average player. like 26% player

Kanu at portsmouth and West Brom was at the end of his career

Kanu joined West Brom at the age of 27 the last time I checked Arsenal bought Arshavin at the age of 27

kanu at his peak went from Ajax to inter to Arsenal

So Kanu's peak was when he was 19? thats interesting! Unless your superman you wont find player playing 15 years after his peak! unless you name is Van der Sar

Ajax to inter to Arsenal

He from bench to bench, I wonder which becnh he prefers most

When was Ronaldo Limas prime?

When was Ronaldo Limas prime?

When he was at Madrid

You obviously dont know nothing about football.

Ronaldos prime was between 1997-1999 when he was 20-23yrs old

Ronaldos prime was between 1997-1999 when he was 20-23yrs old

I have never heard so much rubbish in my life

baby-boy:


I have never heard so much rubbish in my life

So much rubbish I tell you, For someone asking who started our comeback in the finals. Maybe you should read up about stuffs you come online to argue about.

baby-boy:

Wow,

Please tell me who scored in the nerve racking quarter final game against Mexico?

who started the come back in the final?

You need to read and learn about football before coming to spew rubbish on the internet.

You are lucky you didnt try this with Sagamite else

dayokanu:

Okocha is never in the class of Deco.

Deco won Champions League like Kanu. How many times did Okochas team get to play CL?

Sagamite, Isnt it easier for a relegation bound team to depend on you?

Kanu at portsmouth and West Brom was at the end of his career and you shouldnt evaluate him by that. No one would evaluate ronaldinho by what he is doing in Flamengo or in AC Milan

On your team depending theory, Who does Barcelona depend on Xavi, iniesta, Messi, Villa, Pedro, Busquets, Pique or Puyol?

In the Global perspective Kanu is not a Great player, he is a good player while in the global perspective Okocha is below average player. like 26% player

No 1, it is easy for a relegation bound team to depend on you but you judge based on what you actually delivered to satisfy that dependency!

No 2, Bolton was not relegation bound (if I remember correctly), he was fulcrum and part of the guys that took them to their highest ever position in the Premiership.

No 3, was Fenebarche a relegation team too? No! He was a fulcrum.

No 4, was Nigeria a poor team too? No! He was a fulcrum.

No 5, Okocha never played for a team that was CL worthy, so if he never won CL, no big deal. Henry played for Arsenal and was God but could not win CL until he went to a team that was worthy. TEAMS win competitions. TEAMS. Kanu did not win CL, he was a bench-warmer in a team that did.

Barcelona depends on the following as fulcrum: Xavi, Messi and Iniesta. David Villa is good but is not the fulcrum of that team. That is what I was trying to explain with that weak demba example. Demba playing well in 10 games a season does not make him fulcrum.

So Kanu was old at West Brom 6 years ago? Really? OK explain to me what he did when he was young.

Tell me a time when Kanu was an indispensible product of his team between 1995 till 2011 of his career.

Sagamite:

No 1, it is easy for a relegation bound team to depend on you but you judge based on what you actually delivered to satisfy that dependency!

No 2, Bolton was not relegation bound (if I remember correctly), he was fulcrum and part of the guys that took them to their highest ever position in the Premiership.

No 3, was Fenebarche a relegation team too? No! He was a fulcrum.

No 4, was Nigeria a poor team too? No! He was a fulcrum.

No 5, Okocha never played for a team that was CL worthy, so if he never won CL, no big deal. Henry played for Arsenal and was God but could not win CL until he went to a team that was worthy. TEAMS win competitions. TEAMS. Kanu did not win CL, he was a bench-warmer in a team that did.

Barcelona depends on the following as fulcrum: Xavi, Messi and Iniesta. David Villa is good but is not the fulcrum of that team. That is what I was trying to explain with that weak demba example. Demba playing well in 10 games a season does not make him fulcrum.

So Kanu was old at West Brom 6 years ago? Really? OK explain to me what he did when he was young.

Tell me a time when Kanu was an indispensible product of his team between 1995 till 2011 of his career.

1. The quality of teammates in a relegation bound team are so low that an average player like Okocha can easily become the fulcrum.

2. Bolton was a below average club by any standard and when Bigger clubs didnt look at Okocha, he had to settle for clubs on his level like Bolton where he can rub skills with fellow wack players.

3. Fenerbahce plays in a backwater league and are not even the best its like playing for Macabbi Haifa or Apoel Nicosia of Cyprus

4. He was the fulcrum of Nigerian team when our real players like Finidi, Taribo, Oliseh etc left and when Kanu started to dwindle. In the hey days of Nigerian football, WHO WAS OKOCHA!!!!

5. OKOCHA never played for CL worthy teams because none of them saw him as good enough to wear their shirt. OKOCHA has never felt how playing at Nou Camp is, Bernabeu, Estadio Delle Alpi, San Siro et al. He is only suited for stadiums of Hull City and Reebok.

TEAMS win CL and players constitute teams, The name Barcelona sisnt win the CL it was the players in it that won. take Okochas and his caliber of useless players to Barcelona and you would see them crumble

Can you now tell who the fulcrum in West Brom is, and if he is better than Arshavin who sits on the Arsenal bench, Is the fulcrum in Hull City better than Benzema on the Real Bench?

When Kanu was young he played a CL final, He won the league, He won the Olympic medal as the best player, He won league titles, He was the f**king 6th best player in the whole WORLD, He was number 11 on Ballon D'or No one in OKOCHAs generation can achieve that,

Dayokanu,

The moment you said Kanu's peak was when he move from Ajax to Inter

Thats when I started treating your comments as hot air!!!!!!!

Well I am only interested in people who know their football not someone who doesnt know and he is not willing to read up

The High point of Kanus Career was in 1996 when he won the Olympics, Made 6th in FIFA world player of the year, 11th in Ballon D Or and made the transfer to Inter Milan.

Any football pundit know this.

He won the Olympic medal as the best player

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

Did they give out awards?

Kanu was undisptably Nigerias best player at the Atlanta Olympics tournament you can take that to the bank.

He was even Nigerias top scorer in the tournament while Okocha was one of the worst players of the team

Did they give out an award?

Yes or No

In football do they give out awards to best player in a team?

Who was Nigerias best player at Tunisia 1994, many would agree its Yekini. Do they give out awards? Go figure

Who was Nigerias best player at Tunisia 1994, many would agree its Yekini. Do they give out awards? Go figure

Yekini won the Golden boot but they picked the best XI and guess what?



CAF Team of the Tournament

Ousmane Farota


Frank Amankwah
Harrison Chongo
Uche Okechukwu
Benedict Iroha



Yasser Radwan
Jay-Jay Okocha (did you not say he was a bench warmer at the tournament) Thats 3 out of 5 tournaments
Sunday Oliseh
Charles Akonnor

Forwards
Joël Tiéhi
Rashidi Yekini