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Fans Knock Okocha Over €150m Claim

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Some fans have disagreed with former Super Eagles captain Austin Okocha after he said he would have cost around €150m in today’s transfer market with the general opinion that his dribbling displays didn’t end often enough in goals.

The legendary midfielder joined Paris Saint-Germain from Turkish giants Fenerbahce for a then-African transfer record fee of £14m. The move to PSG was finalised following his impressive performance for Nigeria at the France 1998 FIFA World Cup.

In an interview with Turkish outfit, hurriyet, the 49-year-old explained why he believed he would have attracted such a high transfer fee.

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“They paid £106m for their defensive midfielder (Enzo Fernandez) Chelsea. To a player from Portugal. I would have cost around €150m, my assists, dribbles… World football started to pay a lot of money. Such would be the numbers of players of this quality.”

READ ALSO: World Cup: Jay Jay Okocha Predicts Winner Of England Vs Senegal Clash

After spending four years at PSG, Okocha joined Premier League club Bolton and led them to the final of the League Cup in 2004 where they lost 2-1 to Middlesbrough.

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Fans however took to social media to knock the 1996 Olympic gold medallist’s comments as they don’t believe he would have attracted much interest from clubs if he played in modern football.

Tico Benson compared Okocha to Brazil legend, Ronaldinho Gaucho writing, “I really doubt that because you do more entertainment on the pitch rather than create chances for your team or even score more goals. Ronaldinho combined it all. Hence, he was rated more.”

READ ALSO: AFCON 2021: Jay Jay Okocha Names One Player Nigeria Didn’t Miss

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Another user with the username @Abriyin_ believes it is difficult to say Okocha would be worth that much when other Africans played at bigger clubs and won bigger club titles, “It’s difficult to defend a skilful player who played for the likes of Bolton and Hull City when Kanu and co killing it at Arsenal and Ajax even winning FA cup with Portsmouth.”

He also compared Okocha to French winger Allan Saint-Maximin who has also been criticised for showboating and not contributing enough in the final third, “Prime Okocha and Saint-Maximin are in the same category. Teams look for more than just skills and showboating.”

Twitter influencer Bayo Otedola compared him to Japanese winger Karou Mitoma whose major contribution is also dribbling and cost Brighton £2.6m, “You and Mitoma, I no sabi una difference.”

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A Nigerian named Rayo believes he was misled by the stories he heard and video compilations, “Only if you knew how I bragged about this bros back then when I was little based on compilation videos I watched and what we heard about him. Later discovered he was an unserious footballer and I felt scammed. How was I picking this bros over prime Ronaldinho and co.”

READ ALSO: 2022 World Cup: Nigeria’s Jay-Jay Okocha Gets New Appointment

Duke Austine thinks that Okocha did not do enough to be regarded as a legend, “Dribbling without purpose doesn’t make JayJay a legend talk less of class.”

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Twitter user, @Instructor2Gym agreed with Austine’s comments saying, “End product zero. He won’t maintain a high value after two seasons.”

@GodsDawta1 also criticised his lack of finishing in the final third, “Big cap sir. Football has moved pass just dribbling and wasting the ball. Whats the end product of the dribbles is what matters. Okocha was good at dribbling and wasting the ball.”

Joel Morgan wrote, “I laughed hard. How much was CR7 sold from Juventus to Man U and Messi from Barca to PSG that Jay Jay feels he would have been worth €150m in today’s market. Even if we have to go back to time at his peaks in Bolton, he was never close to the most expensive player bought to EPL.”

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Danielson believes Mikel Obi and other African players who didn’t cost close to that had better careers than Okocha, “With no end products abeg na lie and besides Samuel Eto’o, Drogba, Kanu and even Mikel had a better career than you.”

Okocha finished his club career with six trophies, 16 individual honours, 101 goals and 57 assists in 492 appearances.

 

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PSG To Play First Intercontinental Cup Final In December

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European Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain will play their first-ever Intercontinental Cup final in Doha, Qatar, on December 17, FIFA announced on Sunday.

Their opponents will only be determined four days earlier in the final playoff, called the Challenger Cup.

This will pit Egyptian club Pyramids, the African champions, against the winner of the match between Central American champions Cruz Azul from Mexico and the future winner of the Copa Libertadores.

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READ ALSO:Ballon d’Or: PSG Win Best Team Of The Year

The South American tournament is currently in the semi-final stage and includes two Brazilian sides.

Palmeiras are up against LDU Quito of Ecuador, while Flamengo take on the Argentinian side Racing.

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The Copa Libertadores final takes place on November 29.

READ ALSO:Ligue 1: PSG Captain Marquinhos Out With Thigh Injury

From 1960 to 2004, the Intercontinental Cup pitted the champions of Europe and South America against each other.

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In 2005, it was renamed the Club World Cup to include other continental champions, but that competition was relaunched this year as a quadrennial tournament featuring 32 teams, with Chelsea as the inaugural winners of the new format.

The Intercontinental Cup was relaunched in its new form last year when Real Madrid beat Mexican club Pachuca.

AFP

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La Liga: Barca Beat Real Sociedad 2-1 As Yamal Returns

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Lamine Yamal returned from injury to help Barcelona beat Real Sociedad 2-1 on Sunday and move to the top of La Liga by one point.

After Real Madrid were thrashed 5-2 by rivals Atletico Madrid in a derby on Saturday, Hansi Flick’s side had the chance to claim pole position above Xabi Alonso’s side.

Alvaro Odriozola gave Real Sociedad the lead against the run of play in the first half, but Jules Kounde headed the Spanish champions level.

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Yamal, who missed the last four games with a groin injury, created the winner for Robert Lewandowski just moments after coming on as a second-half substitute.

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Barcelona held the game at the Olympic Stadium, where they have played for the last two seasons, after the city council refused them a permit to reopen their Camp Nou home earlier in the week.

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Flick handed 17-year-old attacking midfielder Dro Fernandez his debut, also starting Roony Bardghji on the right wing and bringing in veteran Wojciech Szczesny for injured goalkeeper Joan Garcia.

Barcelona dominated the ball in the first half but found it hard to beat Real Sociedad goalkeeper Alex Remiro.

The Spain international made a fine save to deny Marcus Rashford in the early stages.

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READ ALSO:LaLiga: Mourinho Speaks On Replacing Ancelotti At Real Madrid

On loan from Manchester United, Rashford is finding his footing at Barca and played a superb through ball for Robert Lewandowski, who fired across the face of goal from a tight angle.

Real Sociedad hit Barca with a sharp counter-attack to open the scoring after 31 minutes.

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Former Real Madrid defender Alvaro Odriozola applied the finishing touch to Ander Barrenetxea’s cross.

Barcelona stepped up a gear and found Remiro in their way again, with the goalkeeper superbly palming away a Kounde cross which was deflected towards his goal.

Remiro also tipped a Bardghji effort away for a corner, which led to Barcelona’s equaliser.

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READ ALSO:EPL: Arsenal Snatch Late 2-1 Win Against Newcastle

Rashford, who provided an assist from a corner against Real Oviedo in midweek, whipped it to the near post, where Kounde powered home a header.

Yamal’s return

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Flick replaced Dro with Dani Olmo at half-time and also brought on Yamal before the hour mark, after the teenager recovered from his groin issue.

Voted second best player in the world at the Ballon d’Or gala on Monday, Yamal made an instant impact.

The 18-year-old burst into the box and crossed for Lewandowski to head home off the post, just over a minute after his introduction.

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READ ALSO:LaLiga: Real Madrid Miss Chance To Go Top After Villarreal Defeat

Szczesny made a good save from Oyarzabal as La Real gave Barcelona a couple of scares, while Remiro denied Rashford and Olmo with two more good saves.

The game grew increasingly chaotic, and both sides hit the crossbar in quick succession.

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Kounde, daydreaming in midfield, was robbed and Real Sociedad worked the ball to Takefusa Kubo, who crashed a shot against the woodwork.

Then Barcelona broke away and Ferran Torres teed up Lewandowski, who battered the crossbar when well placed to put the game to bed, but the hosts were not punished.

Barcelona host Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday, also at the Olympic Stadium.

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EPL: Arsenal Snatch Late 2-1 Win Against Newcastle

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Arsenal staged a late comeback to beat Newcastle 2-1 thanks to a stoppage-time header from Gabriel Magalhães at St James’ Park, on Sunday.

The game looked to be slipping away from the visitors after Nick Woltemade scored one for Newcastle in the 34th minute.

Arsenal had dominated the opening half but failed to find the net despite good chances from Eberechi Eze and Leandro Trossard.

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READ ALSO:Theo Walcott Changes EPL Prediction, Names Team To Win UCL This Season

The London club were left frustrated when a penalty awarded for a foul on Viktor Gyökeres was overturned following a VAR review.

Newcastle had weathered the storm with the help of goalkeeper Nick Pope.

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Mikel Merino rose to nod home from close range in the 84th minute to level, setting up a frantic finish.

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Arsenal pushed with everything they had and were ultimately rewarded deep in stoppage time when Martin Ødegaard’s corner found Gabriel, who rose highest to head the winner in the sixth minute of added time.

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Arsenal’s late victory will feel like a statement of character for Mikel Arteta’s side, who move on with a precious away win after dominating long spells of the match but having to fight until the final whistle to secure the three points.

Newcastle will take encouragement from a dogged defensive display.

Arsenal now have four wins, one draw, and one loss in six Premier League games. They sit in the second position on the table, while Newcastle is in 15th.

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