Mikel Better Than The Then 19 Year Old Okocha?

My friend and i had this argument sometime back. The issue was whether mikel obi right now is better than jay jay was around 1993-1994. I was of the opinion that mikel is a better passer of the ball now and besides he has more vision. jay jay might have been more flambouyant but he certainly lacked sense pof direction on the pitch when he was mikel's age. tell me whatu think?/

more of the much i know about mikel was read on a write-up from an England based sports analyst.
mikel has been enjoying more publicities on the papers than most great african players.
he is enjoying a good start and on my own he is very good yet i don't see this as the right time to compare him with Okocha or anyother player in nigeria rather this is a praying time for the lad so that we will see him unfold in good faith.
the boy in question has been compared to world football legends but i still want him to get a good club and then nigerians will have reasons to compare and contrast.

We are not comparing them as they stand now. of course jay jay has a larger than life figure in Nigerian football but i am only saying that if u look back to when he was mikel's age, he was not so technically gifted. he was an unrefined talent. I remeber that USA 94 qualifier against ivory coast in lagos where jay jay was so hell bent on playing to the gallery even when our lead in that match was not secure that a furious Westerhof was left screaming on the sidelines and had to pull him out for amuneke who went on to score.

John Mikel Obi better than Okocha at 19? NO.

I for one don't see what's honestly exceptional about his gameplay. Messi, for example, showcases a bundle of skills, but Mikel's just being overly written about by the press, that's all. Just an average player to me.

teeroy go and watch Nigeria vs Ghana 1991 U-21 group match, and see what Okocha did with Ghana in that match.

go again and watch Nigeria vs Algeria world cup qualifier in Lagos in 1993, maybe you'd change your mind about your stand.

Mikel at present with okocha of 93? Mikel is nowhere to be found

Farriel,ol' boy 4 u 2 say mikel is over-rated. Are u sure u watch football at all and do u know wat to look out 4 in a good player?? When u answer then we can begin a good debate.

nicetohave,the Nigeria vs Ghana u-21 match u are talking about was played in january 1993 and jay jay was not fantastic in it. As for the Nigeria vs Algeria match, after scoring the equaliser through a freekick, the guy stared playing to the gallery. The point i am trying to make is that back then,jay jay sured a loy of imaturity on the pitch.I agree he could dribble from now till eternity then but not all coaches wanted such a player in their team. Maybe that explains why no big club ever made a serious offer for him. I stick to my guns:mikel is showing more maturity on the ball now than jay jay did then.

thanks for your correction, but okocha was outstanding in that match

even otto pfizzer, the ghanian coach breathed a sigh of relief after the match, he prayed okocha had been a ghanian instead.

youre interesting, who says no one made a bid for okocha then, please have your facts right.

okocha plays to the gallery, yes but even westerof in all his strictness cant leave him out of the Nigeria vs. Italy q/final, as far as im concerned, hes the revelation of that unfortunate match for Nigeria, and who says coaches dont like that kind of player, pleeeease, they crave them! and mould them into their system instead.

side by side, Mikel is still light years behind.

If yu know football then yu wouldn't compare J J okocha with a small boy like mikel.what do yu mean by better then okocha at nineteen.ok mikel gives passes and okocha does the same okocha dribbles does mikel do that? okocha plays free kicks does mikel?okocha throws long throws does mikel do that?okocha takes breath taking shotz,does mikel do that?, bla bla bla don't compare them. watch them!

thank you o shadyBaba, i dont know what teeroy is talking about o, infact comparing the two of them is like comparing sleep (Mikel, temporary) with death (Okocha, permanent, lasting)

Okocha, one of the greatest footballer in Nigeria and the world

nicetohave, please can u tell me which big club made a seriuos bid for jay jay? mention the name of the club and the period they made the bid. please i am waiting.

Mikel good past Okocha that is in year 2010 world cup in Morocco, Remember that one singer sing a song for Jayjay,

Ilove you pass my mother ooooo Okocha,

ShadyBaba, abeg thank you. Thank you so much.

I'd never understand why such a comparison is being made. Mikel? Okocha? I mentioned Messi earlier, teeroy, do you watch that kid play football? That's the sort of player you could compare to Okocha in the long term, certainly not Mikel. And yes, I still say the same, that Mikel is just being overly talked about in the press, nothing else.

Maybe sometime later, he could be better than he is now and be compared to the legendary Okocha, but not at the moment.

Teeroy, I certainly know what to look for in a player and I do watch football, which is why I'm saying don't compare Mikel to Okocha.

@ Farriel I beg leave those Kids a lone, they are not good in sports especially football.

you have finished them, claps paaaa papppppppaaaaa

up Jay Jay,

Farriel da good spectator

Ha, thank you burteeone.

Teeroy,i completely agree with u if u say Mikel is better than Jay-Jay at 19. Jay-Jay at 19 was the most un-refined player and when he loses the ball,he does not try to win it back and he laughs it off which can only infuriate a manager. Westerhof never liked him and hence he pulled him out of Nations Cup final against Zambia in 1994. How do u explain that disgusting stunts he pulled in Germany when he dribbled defenders and held the ball for minutes without scoring? . It cld be funny but what if he hadn't scored? He wld have been sacked!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have always appreciated players output than his input. For instance, Lets compare Lampard to Cristiano Ronaldo. Lampard has no visible skills,he cant dribble,run at defenders or do them leg-overs and flicks but his output(what he gives out) is awesome. Ronaldo on the other hand can do everything with the ball. He can flick,turn a defender inside out,flick upside down but his passes,crosses and shots are horrible.

Mikel Obi is the best passer of the ball Africa has ever produced. He has vision,awareness,natural ability and most importantly, COMPOSURE. Jose Mourinho saw this lad and thinks if he develops in this manner then he is RAW GOLD. I saw this guy at the youth championship last summer and at the ACN in Egypt and i was stunned with what he does.

Slimgene, u r welcome to the nairaland forum. i really liked ur analysis of the situation. You seemed to really understand the situation i was tring to highlight. some people thought i was comparing mikel with jay jay as the are now. thanx for you analysis

okocha was good dribling and that did not take him nowhere, mean while mikel is learning to pass the ball and not to drible and look at what is happening, two major english teams fighting for him, including one that is considered one of the best teams in england not in the world lol


barca is still the best in world , ESA BARCA OLEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

One cannot but stand in awe of the talent Okocha is.Personally, I think him not winning the African footballer of the year would in the future put a question mark on the integrity of the givers of the award  when they gave it to Hadji from Moroco and the first time  they gave it to Eto'o.
He still remains and ever,one of the most gifted footballers in the world of all times!
Having said that,I think Obi(let's pray he doesnt become another Etim Esin) at the moment plays more purposeful and matured football Okocha played at his age.His vision,composure,ability to hold the ball and release it at the right time marks him out for his age,he's got dribbling skill too!I think he should learn how to take freekicks like Beckham and Okocha to make him a more rounded midfielder.If he can develop these potentials and avoid life on the fast lane,(he's got great looks like George Best to tempt him) then his future is indeed bright.But for now he remains JUST A GREAT POTENTIAL beside Okocha.
Lest I forget,let's try to avoid 'second wife syndrome'.By this I mean belittling great players of yesteryears because we've suddenly found 'replacements'.It's a sign of ungratefulness and gross immaturity.
I was saddened by a fan weeks ago when he put Oruma down by saying Mikel was bro't in one of the matches in Egypt  and he showed Oruma that he doesnt know how to play football.The question I asked him was where was Mikel in Japan93 when Oruma emerged as the MVP in a FIFA organized competition.Mikel was a runner-up to Messi in a similar competition.

dat was a nice objective contribution , keep it up.

Mikel good @19 than okocha wen he was that age but not okocha of today!

okocah at 19 to much talent for one man but okocha at 19 will dribble 1 2 3 players and shot the ball over the net and start laughing. both are good players and mikel at 19 seems to be making more head way than okocha did but mikel cannot boast of the skill of okocha . i think mikel right now is a better player than okocha was at 19

Obi WHO? Obi mikel!! When are we gonna stop shrinning this boy? Obi is a okay player. Just because he's in a scandal right now doesn't make him a star. His performance at this ANC was nothing but a media hype. This year's ANC team was a young team compare to when Okocha broke in the team in '94 which featured the elites like Amokachi, Mutiu, Finidi etc. That's the difference! Obi is just overhype and he is about to be exposed coming next season.

This discussion should be discontinued till Mikel starts playing regular footbal in a good team

teeroy:

that was a nice objective contribution , keep it up]

thanks

Mikel is cute no doubt, but does de cuteness translate to skills? Did you see how hesitant he was on de ball most of the time? See how his first touch lets him down? See that he didn't mean to score de goal he did score cos de preceding touch was tooooo much?
He's being overhyped and de sooner he finds some club where he can polish up, de better for him. Far as am concerned, there is nothin excitin about Mikel's game, no one they'd bench for him. I don't see him as a regular for the next few years, in any big club.

Mikel at 19 better than Okocha? the question is unhealthy, given the fact that Okocha is retiring and hoping for someone to take over from where he stopped. In 5 years time or thereabout, when Mikel would have played over a few years, we will know the greater between him and Okocha base on achievements. However for the purpose of contribution to the topic, let me make comparison base on thier style of play and not achievements.

Mikel and Okocha no doubt are abudance of skills, but there is a difference in style and purpose that gives one an edge. Both of them can create havoc to opponets in the midfield, but in the opponets deep area, within 30 yards and 18 yard box, Okocha is not very daring there and sometimes gets confused in that area while Mikel creates lots of havocs and exhibits dangerous play in that area. I think this is important in football and that is what makes the differnce in midfielders and strikers. (2) Unlike Okocha Mikel does not hold the ball uneccessary too long or trying to shine at one spot. He advances with the ball and makes passes appropriately. His sense of judgement is quick and he plays more with his team mates than Okocha does. (3) Mikel's pull out of the ball are very sharp and lands in dangerous spots. His free kicks are not bad except he needs to perfect them. In the U-21 world cup he hit the cross bar once with a free kick. Obodo scored from his corner kick agaist Zimbabwe in Egypt. However, he needs to work on his shots at goals, they are too weak just like Kanu's . (4) Mikel's marking and his support for  defence is very commendable. (5) He wins balls from opponents more than Okocha does. (6) Mikel's dull monets in matches are few, he is pronounced through out the match.

Also Mikel has shown that he is able to cope with both fast pace footbal and sluggish footbal, this is important also. Prior to Okocha movement to Bolton he had always find difficulties in coping with fast pace football, and was always slowing down his team mates both in super eagles and in his clubs.

Finally, for now Okocha is our Legend just as Maradona is to Agentina. But we have to pray and support Mikel to make it to a higher height. He has the potentials of surpassing Zidane's records if only he moves to a good club quickly and keeps his head low.

Hi all, this is my first post and i was attracted by this topic.
Please there is no comparison between j.j and Mikel. From the first day jj played for nigeria we all fell in love with him and craved his magic in nigerian football the way we have never done concerning any individual befor. To say he was unrefined in the early days is total rubbish. The truth is like anything progressive he gets better hence if you look back you now say but he had not always been like this. How can you compare Mikel to jj. What mikel has going for him is the sympathy of nigerians though he has potentials just the way oruma also had. You can go and watch Mauritius 93 again. Someone rightly said we should forget about the second wife syndrom.Plzzzzzzzzzzz. Pray for the lad to start playing instead.

@ Reagan
U seem to be missing the point like a free-throw shot.
We are comparing okocha in 1993 and Mikel in 2006. How can u say Okocha was a better player in 1993 than Mikel? The truth is OKOCHA had no discipline in 1993 and he wasn't a team player. He was just a bundle of individual skills and has the ability to dribble and make fool of defenders.
Mikel on the other hand is too matured for the kind of skills and awareness he produces. I cannot believe any football fan wld think Jay-Jay in 1993 was a football player. He shld be playing in a circus cos all he cares about is to entertain.
It's like comapring DENILSON to MESSI, What a comparison?

Nigerian like using their mouth to kill players, that you ppl kill Aghaowa

This thread is getting too heated. I still think that Okocha in 1993 was a lot better than Mikel right now. To those of you saying Mikel is playing a more matured and refined football at this age than Okocha did in his own era, don't forget that the game of football has improved dramatically since then, and that Mikel is simply doing what any youngster with some above average skills would do, considering the quality of football being played right now in the world.

Okocha may have dazzled defenders and still had sat on the ball, refusing to score, but man, you can't take his sheer brilliance of then and try to compare it to the performance of Mikel now. I think Mikel is good, doing greatly as a matter of fact, and has the strong tendency to be a great soccer star, but I still don't think he's so good as to be compared to Okocha in 93'.

Honestly.

BTW, I still maintain that he's overly talked about in the press. The whole Chelsea, Manchester brouhaha has helped shoot this  kid into sudden limelight that he's falling head over heels in the blinding lights of the world press, thinking he's the next to a Pele the world has been waiting for.

And I don't believe anybody killed Aghahowa.

@ farriel

where is Sunday Oliseh, Finide George, Babayaro, Femi Opabunmi, Aiyegbeni and many of our old Time players. Are they still active or finished as usual. This guy don finish that our lang.